Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

The wood elf felt vicious satisfaction at the fact that the undead mage couldn't even curse her with its dying breath as she slashed its throat, but felt any joy leave her as she could swear she saw its own shadow fly out of it and away into the jungle. Her eyes trailed after it but they had other things to deal with. She turned to see what zombies there were left and jogged over to help dispatch the last of them. It was thankfully quick and relatively easy work and she was grateful to see that their crew seemed to have sustained no lasting damage. The fight had her blood high and the win had her feeling in good spirits. "Good job on keeping alive, everyone." She gave a hearty pat on the back to Mica with a rueful grin that she hoped was supportive. Sure he had gotten knocked down but he didn't hesitate to get back up and that was what counted.

Looking to their wizard after he mentioned piling the zombies to burn, Danica also commended, "Yer callouts were damn helpful Velan. Seem to have a knack for keeping an eye on a battlefield." Nodding in respect to the intelligent man as she began dragging a corpse to the far end of their camp but within the one hundred and twenty range stated. But while herself, Mica, Hew and Ran were busying themselves with that as well as picking out any items the undead had on them, Meili and Velan were getting into a spat. It made her want to sigh. And sigh she did. Right before her expression changed to being perplexed as the monk mentioned something about a vendetta and the sailor couldn't help but glance at the others in mild confusion. Did she miss Velan having a vendetta against Theyans? Not that she would blame him or anyone else really. 

Arching an eyebrow at Ran's comment about feeling less stiff now that they were further in on their slog of a journey, Danica chuffed a laugh under her breath with a shake of her head and responded, "Think that's just you Ran." Then glancing between Ran and the bickering 'siblings' she couldn't help but ignore his dubitable advice and ask, "You and Shepard squabble like that a lot?"  She spent some time winding down with the Seekers, offering her last healing spell to any who wanted before turning in to her tent. 

 In the light of the morning, Danica stretches and finds herself...lighter and less unsure. No more questions were answered but she didn't feel as wary about the unknowing as yesterday somehow. Nodding as Hew counseled them to wait until their raincatchers had a chance to collect, the elf made sure everyone had something to eat and were recovering from the previous night all right as she listened to Velan speak about the loot that was collected. "I think m'self n Meili are our only healers, though Inete would do well with it I imagine."

When she looked over Inete talking to Meili her eyes widened at the sight of her shorn hair and then immediately and rather loudly cursed. "F***! Shite Inete, I completely forgot in the chaos, I'm sorry." Hand at her forehead, the elf looked over the others before explaining, "Last night, just before the zombies attacked, I heard something on my watch. Like singing. Thought Inete couldn't sleep or something so was checking in on her, but when I looked in her tent," Danica swallowed at the memory before describing, "There was a...woman." Though it seemed she hesitated naming what she saw such, "Straddling you Inete and she was singing a lullaby and cutting your hair. She musta heard me come in because she looked at me and...smiled. Had gold coins for eyes and ants. So many ants all over her and around her. But then she just vanished and then we were being attacked by zombies so that became more immediately important." The excuse sounded weak as she felt it was and the sailor was internally berating herself for not having spoken up about what she saw sooner. 

Ran listened to the squabbling with mild amusement.

“No, Shepard and I never fight like that.”

He pulls up the edge of his tunic and reveals a long jagged scar running up his side.

”More blades than words when we disagree.” He says with a laugh, smiling at his scar.

His smile fades when he hears mention of the spider-woman cutting Inete’s hair.

”Think the zombie fella was a decoy for her? Might be best to double the watch at night and keep a close eye out for the barber.”

Ran runs his hand through his own short-cropped hair.

“This is bad.” He says as soon as Danica narrates the history about the old woman. The horrid form, the smile, the singing and the harvest of body parts. It all sounded familiar. “Terrible, actually.”

Velan raises to his feet, his face dead serious in a way that his companions have seen only two times before – in the Temple of Savras and during the meeting with Amphyretta. Keep your eyes keen, tell me if you see anything. The hexblood commands Ninlil telepathically, before turning his eyes to Inete and from her to the druid. That was it, their real battle had started.

“Remember when I asked about the Red Wizards? Well, ay indication that their involvement was unlikely would mean the influence of the sisters and what Danica described all but confirms as much. The trio is connected to whoever is behind the Death Curse. They commanding undead would be far from a jump in logic and hair is a component used in hex magic, the kind hags specialize in.” The wizard knew as much, better he would like. “It can be used to connect the hexer with other individual, creates a channel for magic, for curses. Which curse specifically… Danica, do you remember the song? Any word of it, any part of the melody?”

Rolled a 13 History using character app. 

The ant-woman sounded incredibly bizarre though quite in line with the jungles. With what Amphyretta was telling them as well. True to her word, Meili did not argue, just ... thought out loud. "Amphyretta said as much. That the Sewn Sisters, those three witches, serve some great power that is going to change the world. And that they try to bring any practitioner of the Art under their rule." She looked at Velan, Inete then at the green wall around that small beach the party was resting on. "The sisters seem to want you badly. Is there a way to hide both of you from their watch? I mean... I do not know how to say it... your nature? Your talent? To make you appear "not of the art"."

Danica would be able to describe the song.  She doesn't recall any words.  It was gentle... disarming.  Like a wordless hymn a mother might hum whilst rocking a newborn.  It seemed to keep Inete subdued and asleep even as the monstrous woman sat on her chest and sheared off locks of her hair.

“I had hoped the song would tell the intention of her curse, but not the case. I cannot really say what the hag intended to do.” Rather, it was right to say the damned thing could do whatever she wanted. “Maybe that is who was watching during your readings.” He suggested to Inete. That would mean the acolyte was the target of last night attack all along. “That or our enemy decided to focus on our healers, starting by the cleric.”

Velan was not sure about which prospect was the worst. Either way it seemed better to avoid asking the follower of Savras for any other divination. Not only it could attract more action from the sisters, but there was a very real possibility her sight would tempered by them.

“There are ways to hide completely, but nothing that we can use. Not now, not here.” He answered to Meili. “Besides, the creature who flied away after the fight… It was likely bound to them, like Ninlil is to me. At this point the trio already know the specialties of us all.” That was their declaration of war, he thought to himself. “Amphyretta old village may give us some insight on how to best fight them, but for now our best option is to have one person always awake on the tents.” The he turns to Mica. “And I finished the formulae of the Invisibility spell.”

Ran listens to much of the talk without adding anything. What does he know about magic? 

"So that grotty ant-hag that gave Inete the trim is going to use the hair for something unpleasant," Ran says, more summarizing for himself than anything. "And since I know sweet piss all about magic, I'm probably all but invisible to these Sewn Sisters. I'm thinking it means one of us less magicky types should always be on guard with one you targets."

"Not invisible anymore - dispensable. The rest of us are just obstacles on the way to getting the wizards." Meili nodded to the idea of double shifts. "It would be wise."

While all this serious talk has been going on, Hew had enlisted Mica to assisted him with setting out the rain catchers and filling the water skins.  There is still a steady, warm rain, but enough water is in the bags so Hew starts to pack things back up.  He then takes Danica's map and updates your position.

"Sometime this afternoon, we should hit the ruins of Camp Righteous."  He scratches his beard.  "Its been a long time since I've seen it, and I don't know its condition, or if there are any fortifications remaining.  If it looks clear and defensible, we can camp there tonight.  If it looks... compromised... we can press on to look for something else. Tomorrow night will put us close to Camp Vengeance.  It sounds like those Gauntlet lads have been in the thick of trouble so we should tread lightly there as well."  He hands the map back to Danica.  "From there, another day will put us at or near the Basin, and within climbing distance of the village of M'bala.  Any questions before we shove off?"

Ran looks over Hew's shoulder while he shows them the map.

"Camp Righteous?" Ran asks. "These knightly types think pretty highly of themselves, don't they? If it has been trashed, that might make it a good place to camp. Whoever wiped it out might not be interested in coming back."

He pauses for a few moments as Hew hands the map to Danica.

"Though, my dad always said he found most of the people he was looking for when he went back to the first place he looked. Hopefully whatever else is out here besides the Sewn Sisters isn't as smart as my old man."

"Camp Righteous was destroyed years ago," Inete volunteers.  She has packed up her belongings and seems much more composed.  And she has braided her hair in such a way as to make the clippings less obvious.  

"The Order of the Gauntlet promised to beat back the undead and tame the jungles.  They grossly underestimated the dangers they would face.  Camp Righteous was overrun, and a handful of survivors limped back to Port Nyanzaru to report the failure of their mission." 

"Eventually, the Order arranged for a search party to see if anything could be salvaged.  What they found surprised even them.  For the knights of the Order are a stubborn bunch.  While some of the survivors of Camp Righteous had retreated, the rest drove deeper into the jungles and founded what is now Camp Vengeance."

"The Order relieved those knights, but sent a garrison to hold this new spot as a forward base on the edge of the Aldani Basin.  It is said to be heavily fortified and has held out much better than its predecessor."

"Don't expect to find a fort when we reach the ruins of Camp Righteous.  At its peak it was said to be little more than a cluster of small buildings alongside some old Chultan temples.  It's likely not much more than a pile of debris now."

Hew nods.  "The jungle is quick to reclaim forgotten settlements.  But we will see what there is to see when we see it.  Let's get going."

Raising an eyebrow at the scar Ran showed he received from his sister from a past "squabble", Danica murmured, "Almost makes me glad I don't have any siblings." 

Listening to Velan made her stomach sink and she shook her head with an unfortunate expression. "No...no words, just a melody. Do you think that the coin eyed ant woman was one of those Sewn Sisters? What could they do with someone's hair?" Nodding at Meili's idea of masking their magic users, her expression turned thoughtful as Velan said something... Cocking her head, she considered the dark skinned woman that they had picked up and realized she hadn't actually seen the acolyte heal anyone. So she couldn't resist asking, "Can you heal, Inete?" It would certainly make things easier if so. 

At Ran's idea, the elf agreed but blanched at Meili's words, quick to correct her. "None of us are 'dispensable'." Her tone serious before adding, "But aye, we should develop a buddy system. Anyone that can cast magic shouldn't be left alone. Need tae buddy up with one of you lot." Nodding to Ran, Meili, Mica and Hew before stopping and looking back at Mica. "Though I s'ppose you can use nature to cast, like me, hm? What do you think Velan?" Trusting the wizard's opinion on such a matter. 

As Hew updated her map and spoke to them about what was next and their future plans, Danica hummed. "Best to expect the worse and be pleasantly surprised if we're proven wrong. I for one expect this Camp Righteous to have undead ready to greet us." As Inete explained what the "fort" would likely have to offer, the sailor grimaced, "Glad you told us that. Was at least expecting some sort of fortifications left, but better to know now." Letting out a sigh, the elf rubbed in the last of the insect repellant salve before loading into the canoes. 

Inete shakes her head.  "I am trained in divination, as a wizard.  Savras has blessed me with the ability to tap into a small sliver of his divine power, but I am unable to directly heal others."

She describes her abilities a bit more, and you are able to discern that she can cast the cleric spells spare the dying and bless.

[Oh... than reminds me... 13, 1 ]

Ran whistles a little as he helps load the canoes.

"Always good to be thought of as dispensable and munted," Ran says. "You get underestimated that way. If the Sewn Sisters end up so fixated on the others, makes it easier to pop round unexpectedly and stick a bit sharp metal in between the ribs."

Looking down at he oars, he calls out "same crew in each boat as before?"

Meili nodded to the idea, that underestimated opponent is often the winner and took her place in the boat, ready to raw it further. "The Camp Righteous can be a ruin, with or without undead. But those warriors, that ran away from the Camp Vengeance, saw something so horrifying that were ready to kill anyone for the shelter. Neither Camp sounds like a safe spot. But we will see, of course."

Mica helps Hew with the rain catchers and breaking down camp as the others discuss their next steps.  As Hew pulled the map out, Mica moved in to get a closer look, placing the major features in his memory.

 “What do the Sewn Sisters want with Inete? Why curse her?” Mica was truly puzzled by this development. “But buddy teams seem wise.”  He nods at Danica and adds “The primal spirits have gifted me with some ability, it is true.  But it is nothing like what you and the others have shown.”

 As the group prepares to pile into the canoes, he grabs a paddle and smiles at Meili “You are right, it is likely neither camp is a safe spot for us.  We don’t know what is left of Camp Righteous.  Let’s go find out.”

“That warlock last night was too smart and well equipped to be a run of the mill undead we just met by coincidence, but nowhere near the level of a master spellcaster so too weak to be a mastermind.” He said to Danica, while following the group’s walk. “If we think about who could control such undead to attack us there are two options, those being the Sisters and Reds, but the Thayans are an expedition with limited resources so they wouldn’t have a security network to know our location nor would they risk magic items.” Besides, barring the use of divination, they shouldn’t even know the group antagonized them.  “When you take that in consideration and add the fact that hags do not act in groups larger than three, not ever, with the apparition of a grotesque and feminine monster harvesting ingredients for hex magic… I cannot think of Coin-Eyes as anything but one of the Sisters.”

Velan knew he could be wrong. Such was the nature of suppositions and deductions. But at that point, with the information they had, that was the only logical conclusion. Shaking his head, the wizard turned his gaze to the druid.

“Hair is a conduit, used in many hexes. So many, Danica, that the question is not what they can do, but rather what they can’t.” Then he turned to Mica. “To hinder the enemy’s ability of accessing information is a fundamental strategy of war and what could gather more information than a spellcaster doubly specialize in divination? I think she targeted Inete to suppress her foresight, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they inflicted to her more than just a block of sorts. At this point we may well expect anything and Inete, be sure to tell us about anything strange you so much think you felt, saw, heard or dreamt. No matter how insignificant you may think of it. Anything can be a sign of a curse.”

He paused for a moment to consider Danica’s last question. Considering the source of your spells the wizard wouldn’t call them arcane casters, but rather something closer to divine magic. Still, spellcasters.

“The main focus of the buddy system is to make sure one wakes the other at any sign of a hag. I don’t think it is necessary to have a non-caster with a caster, although it may help. That said, assuming we are right about they wanting people of the Art, the two of you will definitely fit as targets.”

The rain continues throughout the day.  It is never heavy enough to threaten swamping the canoes, or obstruct visibility, but it never stops either.  The air remains insufferably humid and the warm rain soaks through everything in your possessions.  

You set out, continuing your southward journey up the Soshenstar River.  Through the early part of the day, the only encounters are monkeys.  You pass two different large troupes of small primates in the trees along the river.  The first raise an alarm call from the group, as they look to be undead.  Hew laughs it off and informs you they are just a little strange looking, with no noses, but are not a threat.

The next batch were equally strange.  There were more than 100 of them spread out over several trees which hung low over the west bank of the river.  They were plucking and eating long, bean-like pods from the branches.  These monkeys had long whiskers and their feline posture made them resemble cats as the jumped gracefully through their home in the canopy.  They were also very curious and they pestered Ninlil as it looked for a place to stop and watch the river from the treetops.

The lack of threats allowed Hew to relax.  For the first time, he settled into something like a common tour guide, describing some of the flora and fauna you pass as the rain continues to fall around you.  Just before you stop for lunch, you pass a cluster of man-sized toadstools along the shoreline.  The nearest fungi begin to make a shrill, high-pitched whine as you approach.  Hew explains these are a type of shrieker mushroom that has adapted to life in the jungles of the surface.  They are common in the Underdark but you seldom find them up here under the sun - expect for here in Chult.  The goblins of the jungle cultivate them as security systems for their settlements.  This segways into a soliloquy on the goblins of Chult.  Batiri, they are called here.  The experience of surviving these deadly jungles has made them both more dangerous and less civilized than their continental cousins.  They have been known to cannibalize explorers and they decorate the jungle paths with the bones and skulls of their enemies.  They have also adopted a peculiar fighting style... they will ride on each others shoulders, sometimes 3 or four goblins high.  The lower goblins in the stack wield spears, while the higher goblins fight with slings and arrows.  This allows them to pack more 'punch' in a smaller area, while also presenting a larger profile to intimidate some of the jungle predators that might otherwise make a meal of a single goblin.

Hew is interrupted by a loud roar from somewhere close upriver.  He calls a halt while Ninlil flies ahead, but the bird returns and reports no sign of danger to Velan.  Resuming a slow, careful approach, you soon pass a stretch of muddy embankment where something very big has pulled itself onto the shore and into the jungle, leaving large, 3 toes prints behind.  There is no sign of it now, but for the prints.  "Looks like a spinosaur... a young one, judging by the size of the prints.  They mostly eat crocs, but won't hesitate to come after us if we present a choice looking target."  Despite Hew's assertion that this is a small specimen, the prints are easily 3 ft long from heel to claw.