Cult of Hunger - Rescue - RPLOG
Participants
Date
1/8/479
Log
The heat of the day is hardly mitigated by the shadows under the sprawling mangroves of the Saltide Swamp. Foeted smells of rot and messy swamp life rise in the humid air and the dank atmosphere buzzes with the sound of insects. Otherwise, it is quiet here. As quiet as the swamp ever is, at least.
Dressed for adventure, a small salamander steps up an embankment to regard his surroundings. Exploratory trips into Saltide weren't unusual for the little guy, not only because he felt quite at home in this place by now, but also because it was a great place to search for opportunities to bring back to the Society. Always room for more adventure! He picks a direction to head in and starts off northwards, crinkling his little snout as a waft of fetid air brushes past him. -That- part of adventuring in the swamps he didn't like much.. but it was an unavoidable fact.
It is not so far into the swamps just yet. The ground underfoot is fairly stable and the only thing that has tried to eat the little salamander so far are the little blood sucking bugs common to warm, damp places everywhere.
There is a genteel cough from behind the little salamander. "I shouldn't go that way if I were you," comes a thick, wet voice from behind Zuri, "Nasty stuff that way." Standing in the spot that Zuri had just vacated is an enormously fat boar in well made traveling clothes!
Zuri pauses at hearing a rather familiar voice behind him. He turns on a dime, pivoting to smile up at the familiar porcine spirit. "Mister Olloch!" His tail flits about happily, the salamander taking a step forward to move closer to the spirit he is so fond of. "Huh. Nasty stuff?" He looks over his shoulder at where he was heading, before returning his attention to the spirit. "If you say so Mister Olloch! What kind of nasty stuff?"
Shira finally catches up with Zuri. She might be fast but information does not always reach everyone at the same time. She stops as she reaches salamander and boar and looks them up and down. Not having heard the conversation so far she gives a friendly wave and addresses the pair. "Hey! You two here because you heard about the caravan?"
Rokarion saunters around the swamp, hand busy jutting down words on his notebook as he explores the region. The youth stops as he arrives next to the unlikely party, raising a brow at the odd collection of beings, and others. "Ah, I didn't know that you were heading here today Zuri." the plant being says in a chirpy tone.
"Certainly nothing you want to involve yourself in, my fine little friend!" Olloch says pleasantly, waddling over to pat Zuri gently on the head with a ham sized hand. "If you want to try THIS direction," the boar snorts, "I can show you a most remarkable flower that-" The immense boar is interrupted by Shira's arrival and he turns a pleasant, tusk encapsuled smile on the mouse. "Caravan?" he asks, "No, I can't say that I was here about any sort of caravan. I was only about to show my friend Zuri here some interesting flora native to Saltide with some exceptional qualities." He looks at the newly arrived Rokarion, second and third chins jiggling with the movement. "Something I am sure taht our mutual friend her would appreciate," he finishes.
Zuri smiles brightly as Olloch steps up to his side, letting out a little giggle as he's patted on the head. He nibbles on his lip. "Huh. A fancy flower with exceptional qualities?" He beams a smile towards Rokarion. "Hi Roka! Yea, I was just off exploring, and look, Mister Olloch is here and he wants to show us something interesting! A flower of some kind! Maybe it will be like that mushroom we found that time, the blue glowy one." He smiles at Shira. "Hi there! Dunno about a caravan, I'm just exploring. Or was."
Shira raises her eyebrows at this. "Huh. I read something on the bounty board about a caravan being kidnapped by cultists in this area." Her eyes dart between the other three. "Am I the only one here for that?" She shuffles her feet. "This is kinda my first mercenary job...I mean I am great and all..but I thought I would be having backup on this."
Rokarion nods his head at Olloch before moving to stand next to the amphibian, "An interesting flower? Very well, I would not mind seeing if he is true." the plant being adds.
"I am sure you are mistaken, Miss," Olloch says with a damp sort of chuckle, "Come along, you are more than welcome to join us. I am sure that this will be an education for all of us." The obese boar indicates a little game trail. "Right this way," he says, then leads the way, waddling down the narrow track. "It is called a Carrion Flower," he explains as he rolls along, "Not like the strangle vines you usually find, it is named more for the smell it puts off than for any actual relationship with carrion." Seems that the boar is more than happy to avoid whatever conflict Shira thinks she is looking for.
In fact, he seems to be leading directly away from where the mouse was instructed to go.
Zuri follows along with the porcine spirit happily, his tail flitting behind him curiously. "Oh, Carrion Flower?" He blinks and makes a -bleh- face as it's scent wafts past her. "Ugh.. yea.. I can.. I can see why." He crinkles his snout as they slink past the flower. "I didn't know you liked exploring the wildnerness too Mister Olloch!" He smiles brightly at him before turning his attention to Shira. "Ah, your first mercenary job. Interesting! Well, if you need some help myself and Rokarion know a thing or two about mercenary thingies."
Shira stays a bit behind the others, but reluctantly follows so she can continue the conservation. "It would be much appreciated, I do not know their numbers, so I am reluctant to go there alone and risk being overwhelmed." She blinks, realizing something. "Oh! Them being a group or something that took a caravan hostage. Nasty stuff."
Rokarion rubs his chin, eyeing Shira. "A group of cultists have kidnapped a caravan around here?" the plant being asks, glancing over towards Olloch, then looking back at the would be mercenary, "Was that a Freesword contract?"
"Yes, Yes," Olloch says, waving a hand under his own nose with a grin, "Foul smelling thing, isn't it." The porcine Spirit does not seem to even acknowledge the talk of cults and mercenary work, instead indicating the enormous flower generating the smell of rot.
It is nearly the size of a cart wheel with broad, waxy leaves and long, triangular petals that curl outward from a central, flat knob. The petals are the reddish brown of rotting meat and shimmer with rather unhealthy looking oils. "The thing likes to attract carnivores and scavengers," he explains, "They take a chunk out of the nasty thing and haul it away. Leave spores behind when they pass it. Clever plant, eh?" He points at the glistening, waxy petals. "The oil it secretes also has a calming effect and is mildly narcotic, if you are interested in that sort of thing." Nothing at all about cultists or caravans.
Zuri holds his snout with one hand to help manage the stench, but he still nods appreciatively at the botanical lesson. He seems quite happy to go on this side safari with his good friend Olloch and leave the mercenary work for a later time. It's rare that he gets to spend time with the spirit! "Pretty clever!" He says in a semi-nasal voice thanks to his plugged up snout. "Calming effect huh? I bet you could use this in medicine thingies. What do you think Roka?"
Shira nods at Rokarion, still staying back, but more because of the smell of the flower now. "Yeah, it was posted on the bounty board at the guild. I am surprised nobody else showed up for that. Sounded like it was pretty urgent with the hostage situation and what not." She bites her lower lip with her large incisors. "I-I should go there, join me if you like, it would be appreciated, but someone has to go help."
Rokarion rubs his chin, taking a sniff from the carrion, and taking off a piece for later testing, "I guess that means it happened recently. Slightly idiotic to use the swamp as a caravan path." he remarks as he puts the flower piece inside a small pouch. "What say you, Olloch? Know anything about cultists hanging in the swamp?" the jasmine being says with a slight smirk, before returning his gaze towards Shira, "If you know where to go then lead the way, can't leave it be if it is urgent as you say."
Olloch frowns at Rokarion's insistence. "Even if I did know anything," the massive Boar says, "I could not tell you. There are rules, you know!" He turns back to Zuri. "Let them go on their little hunt," he sniffs, "I am sure that we can find other ways to entertain ourselves."
Zuri nods at Olloch, the little salamander's tail whipping about happily. He turns around to Rokarion. "And there's no reason to think Mister Olloch would know anything of what's going on, either!" He steps off to Olloch's other side, looking up at the porcine spirit. "What next Mister Olloch? Anything else fun around here?"
Shira nods at Rokarion. "Yeah, the bounty said the ambush happened in that direction." She points in the direction the ambush did happen and starts to head for it. "Well...have fun you two!"
Rokarion shakes his head and giggles, "Whatever you say dear. I am pretty sure that the cultists would give us the answer for that." the plant being says to his salamander. The plant then nods at Olloch, "Yes, my apologies for the rude question. Forgot about the rules of your games. Now if you would excuse me, I guess I will be off saving lives." he says before heading off into the direction that Shira was pointing at, "Have fun with your picnic Zuri. Don't forget to put on the mosquito-repellent balm."
Olloch watches Rokarion and Shira go and gives a snort. Hard to guess what that is supposed to mean. "Well," he says, visibly shaking himself, "I could show you all sorts of edible plants around here, many with excellent recreational properties, if you get my meaning." He cannot hide a bit of a frown as his eyes follow Shira and Rokarion.
It does not take long to find the scene of the attack after leaving Olloch behind. There are remains of a single, broken wagon in a small clearing on the main road. The other wagons either escaped or have been removed. It also won't take an experienced tracker to follow where the attackers went. A wide, obvious trail leads off into the swamp to the north.
Zuri looks between Rokarion and Olloch, again being forced to choose whom to stay with as one heads off while the other stays. He looks increasingly worried as he watches Rokarion depart, then peers up at Olloch. "I should probably follow Rokarion, Mister Olloch. Don't want him getting in trouble and I'm not there to help out... besides, if there are cultists here, well, we should do something about that, I guess." He runs off after the plant being, hopping nimbly over a toppled tree to cross from one embankment to the other.
Shira gives the clearing the once over as she arrives there. Her tail curls around her leg as she investigates it and she bites her lip once more. "Well, they probably went that way." She gestures to the trail. "Shall we?"
Rokarion looks around the scene of carnage before nodding at Shira, "That way you say? Truly, your tracking skills are impeccable." the flower being quickly adds, before heading off into the direction of the tracks, "Keep your eyes open, they might have left look outs."
Olloch swears in a language that is unfamiliar, but carries his meaning well enough. "No help for it, I suppose," he growls, waddling after Zuri, "But don't expect much help from me!" He mutters something under his breath about not wanting to ruin his image.
Rokarion and Shira have no trouble following the trail of broken foilage and unpleasant, rust colored marks scattered about on leaf and stone. After a short trek through the swampy undergrowth, they find themselves looking over some kind of ragged camp. There are three great cooking pits and two of them are playing host to the large reptillian beasts favored by desert merchants as pack animals. The third has a large fire lit, but nothing is cooking yet. A line of seven bound beings hints at what is to follow the Sand Beast appetizers, though. Twelve shabby looking beings tend the fires and scurry about the camp.
Unfortunately, Rokarion was absolutely right about sentries. A loud whistle goes up from the trees by the path and two shaggy, unkempt wolves drop from the branches overhead, each wielding a crude spear and looking more than a little mad.
Zuri pauses as he takes in the sight from further up, having had some distance between himself and Rokarion still left to cover. As the bound beings come into view, shortly followed by the clearly aggressive wolves, the small salamander draws his weapon and races forward, moving to stand at Rokarion's side protectively.
Shira blinks and jumps back a step as the wolves drop out of the trees. "Woah." She eyes them closely. "So, I assume you are the bad guys? Surrender now!" Getting little in the way of surrendering from the wolves, she shrugs and grabs the weaponless hilt from her belt, which quickly grows a line of lightning that she swings at the cultists.
Rokarion eyes the camp and purses his lips as he takes in the scene. When he hears the whistle, the plant being sighs, "Pity, that ruined the chance of a grand entrance." he remarks to himself as he unsheathes his rapier and eyes the two wolves, "I take it that your are members of the so-called Cult of Hunger? Charmed." he remarks, "Now surrender knaves, or feel the bite of my blade." With that, the plant being takes his duelling stance, letting the wolf take the first step.
The two wolves do not speak. Which is quite rude all things considered. But they do both sidestep the flickering strikes of Shira's galvanic lash, lunging toward the party with inarticulate howls.
The camp has taken notice of the warning signal now. It won't be long before reinforcements arrive.
Not surprisingly, Olloch is nowhere to be seen.
Zuri flops down beneath the oncoming attack, letting the Jasmine take the attack with his readied weapon. It's at this point that the small salamander remembers one small detail - he wasn't here originally for a fight, and he's not going to be any use in a straight up punch-out. It would take him a bit to find an appropriate soul gem and attune to it, too.. he looks over at where the former caravaneers are bound together, and quickly scampers onto his feet to run past the ensuing scuffle and towards the abductees.
Shira boosts herself high into the trees with her air magic to avoid the attack, latching onto a sturdy branch and wrapping tail and legs around. She still has her magic whip in one hand, but is somewhat out of range in her new, elevated position, so she instead goes through some advanced math in her head, flinging the resulting spell at her attacker.
Rokarion deftly rebounds the charging spear upwards then points his rapier downward and stabs the wolf's foot. The plant being turns to see the salamander charging towards the charging enemies. Shaking his head at the excessive charging, the plant being attempts to kick the injured wolf down before rushing towards Zuri.
The mouse's magic assisted acrobatics are breathtaking, but not quite so breathtaking as the blast of electrical force that courses throught he poor wolf below her. His mouth opens in what would probably be a scream if all of his muscles weren't rebelling. Then the moment passes and he slumps to the ground, smoke rising from his body.
Rokarion's strike hits home and he slams his foot deftly into the side of the second wolf's knee with a rather horrible crunching noise and the canine goes down with a yelp of pain, leaving the Jasmine free to pursue Zuri.
Not that he has much chance of catching up now. The little salamander has managed to bob and weave through the camp, diving into the midst of the bound beings that were waiting for the cooking pot. The whole camp now lies between the group. Six more beings, all more than a little wild eyed are closing in on Rokarion and Shira, deciding to go after less mobile prey first. Another wolf, a pair of rather emaciated looking bears, a mangy tiger and two rather incongruous rabbit beings race toward the pair on the edge of the clearing. None of them seeming to be armed.
Zuri looks relieved that his ploy has worked - for now. Having been left alone for the time being the little salamander dashes towards one of the groups of bound survivors, dagger in hand. "Quick, let's get you up and about!" He tries to cut the ropes binding them together. "And if you can fight, grab what you can. We're getting you out of here, but we need your help!"
Shira quickly counts the beings before her and smirks. Even more math goes through the rodent's head and filling the air with a weird smell as she summons lightning to lash out at the group that is between the two parts of the little mercenary gang.
Rokarion stops in his tracks as the salamander manages to run past the group, deciding to deal with them, now that Zuri is in a relatively safer position. Noticing Shira's mathemagic, the plant being begins walking backwards, waiting to see who remains standing after the spell ends.
The smell of ozone and barbeque fill the air as flashes of electricity discharge themselves into the charging beings. There are shouts and cries of pain as most of them stagger to a halt, the two rabbits falling completely to the ground, twitching strangely. The two bears hardly slow, however, continuing their headlong charge. One lunges at Shira and one at Rokarion, looking for all the world as if they are trying to take huge bites out of their opponents!
Cutting the old ropes is not hard, but the poor, tied up beings don't seem to be in much condition to be moving. It seems like they have been tied up in their kneeling positions for quite some time. "You have to run!" a young looking Ferret says, "These are just the ones left to watch over things! The real hunters will be back any time!" He savagely rubs at his legs, trying to get some feeling back into them. A few others are doing the same.
Zuri nods at the ferret. "Understood. If you are in no condition to fight then run." He points back over the embankment. "Up that way." He reaches into his jacket pocket and fiddles around trying to find the small wodden case where he keps his assortment of soulstones. He fishes two out and starts setting them into his pendant. "And don't worry about my friends there, they can handle themselves." He flashes the beings a confident smile.
Shira air-boosts herself out of the tree to avoid the incoming attack and puts on a confident smirk as she engages the more than twice her size bear with her lightning whip, which still cackles merrily from its hilt. She takes a big swing in a motion that would wrap the whip around his neck.
Rokarion smiles at the charging bear, "Now, now. Don't be ridiculous, villain. I can't duel an armless being, even a cannibal." the duellist states as he pulls out a dagger from its holster, turning his rapier sideways and bending forward to stick the dagger in the bear's helpfully open mouth. The plant being follows his action by a quick back-step as he unsheathes sword-breaker and points the rapier forward, waiting for the bear to recover, "I call that dagger, Mercy. Treat her kindly will you." Not the best way to give your opponent a weapon, but it works.
The charging bears are not really ready for this kind of resistance! Shira's crackling whip does not manage to wrap itself around her ursine opponent's throat, but a sizzling snap across the face is enough to make the bear howl and spasm in pain. He staggers sideways and charges the mouse once more, swaying unsteadily.
Rokarion's new friend does not seem to appreciate the gift. He roars and rears back, frothy spittle and blood combining to make a horrible foam that dribbles from the corners of his mouth. He scrabbles at his mouth briefly, but when this does not seem to help, he lashes out with a massive paw at the Jasmine.
The ferret only nods to Zuri and staggers to his feet, doing his best to help others to do the same. Everyone has minor cuts and bruises, but other than that and being bound for so long, most of them seem to be alright. All that is left is to stop those bears and get out of here before reinforcements arrive.
Zuri finishes fiddling with his soul gems as the various beings start to stagger to safety. He clutches his dagger once again and starts heading back towards the fray, happy to have avoided it so far but feeling the need to help his companions now that he's tooled up properly. He stalks up behind the being engaging Rokarion, and sets up to strike at him on the first opportunity - assuming Rokarion doesn't finish the job right away.
Shira swiftly evades the attack with another gust of air and finds herself behind the wounded bear now that he charged past her. She grins and tries the whip once more, even though it has not been her best day with it yet.
Rokarion takes another back-steb as the bear attempts to strike him, "I am not sure if you are fighting or if you are just drunk." the plant being quips, but decides to end the poor bear's suffering none the less, "Now bear with me for a minute, your pain will end soon enough." With that, the plant being lunges forward aiming his rapier towards one of the bear's eyes, an easier way for the brain!
As fast as it started, it is all over. Shira's opponent gives a gurgling choke before collapsing with the modified fire whip wrapped securely around his throat and Rokarion's maddened foe is cut off mid roar as the Jasmine's rapier takes him in the eye. How had such unorganized thugs managed to take out a caravan? Had the merchants decided to wander through the wilderness completely unguarded or what?
The released prisoners shamble after Zuri and to where the trio of adventurers are waiting, all panting and pained. "Hurry," the ferret urges, "Hurry! They must have heard that signal! We have to get out of here!"
Zuri was sneaking up behind the bear engaged with Rokarion, but before he could do anything the Jasmine finishes him off with seemingly no effort. He smiles cutely and thumbs up at the plant being before calling out. "It's time to leave. The prisoners said there were a lot more of them out there. A LOT more. We should go, quick." The agile 'mander darts off after the released beings.
Shira blinks and looks conflicted. "Should...should we not take them all out? So they can't hurt anyone again? I mean its not part of the contract or anything...but it seems like the decent thing to do, dosen't it?"
Rokarion pulls out his rapier as soon as it struck, letting the dead fall down on his own pace. Once that is down, the plant being takes out the lodged dagger, "Odd, how they all look slightly emaciated." he idly states, recalling a certain memory as he returns his weapons back to their holsters. "Hmmm, It still seems that they lack any sort of leadership, can't be that they send their leaders to hunt as well, but regardless, let us get the caravan out of here first."
The ferret, apparently the spokesman for the group shudders at the mention of the hunt. "Please," he says, "Just get us away from here. You can come back if you like, but we already watched them eat the six guards that were with us. I don't want to see any more. In fact, I think I'll go vegetarian from now on." He looks at Rokarion and blanches. "Or maybe just water from now on," he ammends.
Zuri looks back at Shira and nods. "No time. First priority is getting folks to safety. And completing the job." He smirks. Ah, to be a new merc. He nods at the Ferret. "Come on, we're not that far from the edge of the swamp and the road back home."
Shira nods slowly and walks fast. Fast enough to quickly be at the front of the group and watch out for any further threats they may come across now that they had the prisoners with them.
Rokarion nods his head, "What Zuri said, we need to get people to safety first. And report the cult's activity to the authorities, you can do that if you want. I bet there is a finder's fee." Roka winks at the ferret, "A water only diet is really effective, just make sure to eat a rock every now and then for minerals." he quips as he moves with the group to safety.
The ferret chuckles at Rokarion's joke, though the sound is a little thin and more than a little manic. The other captives huddle together, staying near their rescuers and watching the mangroves with fearful eyes. It is not until they reach the actual gates of Firmament that they seem to finally relax.
Back at the Freeswords' the party is met by a frowning ram, though his stormy expression eases a bit on seeing the ferret and his crew. "The guards?" he asks hopefully.
Zuri is all smiles on the way back, in his typical way. As they reach the Freeswords' and are met with the ram, he can't help but scratch the back of his neck in contrition. "Eh... eheh.." He looks at the Ferret, and steps in before the poor guy has to say anything. "They.. didn't make it." He tries to leave it at that, sparing everyone the more gruesome details. "They were the first to fall.. probably because they offered resistance."
Shira nods along to Zuri's words, her arms crossed over her chest and having decided to watch this part of the action, in case there was something to learn and to not accidentally anger the caravan folks with a badly picked word, like caravan folks.
Rokarion is leaning against a wall cleaning his blades with a piece of cloth, letting the salamander do the talking.
The Ram's already scowling face falls even further. "So. . . Andrew. . ." he starts, then trails off when the Ferret shakes his head. "Thank you," he says, "Thank you for saving my people. I have your reward here." The sheep waves to an assistant who brings a hefty sack of crown to each of the adventurers.
