Hearing Berrus speak up behind her, she’d look over her shoulder. There was a hint of pink in her cheeks and a soft smile on her lips from hearing him call her something he hasn’t before. Truthfully, this time scholar had nothing profound on her mind. She was simply checking the weather and admiring the view. Her eyes still on him, she’d finally speak, “The longer we are here, the more I catch myself wanting to take the time to enjoy its beauty. It can be difficult to appreciate those small things when it’s trying to kill you at the same time.” She’d chuckle softly, “But worth the moment all the same...” At least to her. She knows not everyone would share the same opinion. “Regardless of how we travel, it’s always good to be prepared for what the weather may throw at us.” She’d add with a soft nod.

Though, as she looked at their protector, she couldn’t help but remember him telling her about the statue he found and the words it said. Shae did feel some relief and assurance from it, especially hearing it from him. Her smile would tug a little more. With Berrus being a man of few words, she should be prodding and offering him coppers for his thoughts. Her head would tilt slightly. She did always wonder. “What about you Berrus?” Shae would absentmindedly reach out to adjust the braid in his beard. “What are your thoughts?” Then gently start dusting off some dried salt water from his armour.

As the group begins to prepare for the next steps, Shae would stand silently waiting for the others to make their decisions first. She’d shift her weight from one foot to the next a little uncomfortably. It looked as though they were deciding to split up once again, and it didn’t seem like it’d be possible to avoid. The scholar would purse her lips. She really didn’t want to leave Maxine or Hope. She wanted to stay behind. Her eyes would pan the group only to catch Berrus waiting patiently for her decision. Her eyes would glance away a bit sheepishly. Though, as much as she didn’t want to leave the ship and crew, and desired to help maintain the boat, something itched at her that she’d probably be of more use in the other group. Kind of like the whole raft scenario where she thought she’d be useful, but turned out, she was the least. Shae would look between the two forming groups once more before finally making her decision. “I’ll go in land...” Hopefully that’s the right decision...

The biggest part of the group - aka "Maxine" - waved goodbye: "Come back with the news and don't get yourself killed!" She, herself, had a boat to fix. Maxine looked around and rubbed her hands in anticipation, then chose the first spot to fix and went for it.

"Tha be tha goal Maxine,  are ye needen us to keep an eye out fer anythin fer you?"

as he goes to join the landing party he gently holds Shaes hand....

Glasses:

Insight:  5

...The Professor continues to be oblivious to the budding relationship between Berrus and Shae, through it's really none of his business anyway...

With the last preparations made, the Professor, Cliff, Thessalandra, Zip, Berrus, Shae and Fang are heading inland, while Maxine, Bertrand, Falx and Brax remain on the newly named Hope to fix up the ship. 

Maxine throws herself into the work with full vigour, helping Brax to patch up the damaged planks on the hull. The burly crewmember has lowered ropes over the side to allow you to really get to work on the planks. Bertrand and Falx meanwhile are doing what they can to patch the torn sails and replacing the rigging.

-------------------------------------

The jungle is upon you almost immediately after leaving the pebble beach behind you. Thessalandra is leading the way, having some inkling of the dig site's location. Despite the dense vegetation and the heat, you make good time, and about forty minutes later, you covered about a mile and a half, when you cut your way through some vines to see a larger clearing up ahead. Thessalandra steps through, but her reliefed look at having found the digsite so soon quickly turns to worry, as you can all make out two corpses strewn out on the floor a few yards away from a tent with several smashed supply crates underneath. Looking around, you see more evidence of an attack, and as you advance, you hear the ding of battle in the distance.

Fang moves up quietly to the two corpses to determine how recently they’ve perished and checks them for anything that might be of use/value to any of the group. 

initiative: 9

Glasses:

"They're in trouble!" exclaims the Professor, breaking into a trot towards the sounds of battle and straining to see what the situation might be up ahead.

Perception:  14

Fang, you can tell by the pooling blood that the people here have been dead for a couple of minutes at most. From their clothes and gear, they seem to be simple workers, wearing linen clothing against the heat, and headbands to keep their braided black hair out of their face. Apart from a small knife on one of the dead, you see nothing immediately useful on the dead here.

Professor, as you hurry forwards, you see the entire camp before you, now in disarray. To your right, a tabaxi scout is fighting back to back with a one-armed chultan dwarf against four undead. Further ahead, you see a crumbling ruin that has been repurposed as a storage space and has now been fortified with crates and other gear, forming a makeshift barricade. To the far left, you see a halfling and a young wizard fending off another group of undead. Amongst the ruins and the wreckage of the camp, you see several more walking corpses smashing crates.

About three quarters of an hour after the landing party has left, you hear the snapping of a twig coming from the forest ahead of you. As you turn around to face the beach, you can see two then four, and eventually seven guant figures pushing their way towards you and the beach. It takes you a couple of moments to realise that these are the animated remains of creatures long dead, returned to life for some unthinkable purpose.

Berrus pulls out his horn and gives 2 loud ringing blasts

Your spell bolsters your allies with toughness and resolve. Choose up to three creatures within range. Each target's hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 5 for the duration.  (Shae, Fang and Glasses)

then Pulling his axe he says to Shae  "Stay close" and advances

 Initiative:  10

Maxine, you hear the loud blasts from the horn as well. Whatever is happening here, your comrades sound like they're in trouble too!

Glasses:

Initiative:  14

Calling out to the defenders, the Professor yells, "Help is on the way!"  He calls down the power of elemental water on the clump of undead to the east of the fortified crate area (south of the ziggurat).  

OOC:  At 30' long and 10' wide, he should be able to get six of the undead with some careful placement, angled at about 1-2 o'clock -- no idea how to show that on the map, but hopefully the description is good enough.

Tidal Wave, Dex 15 Save or Bludgeoning Damage: 21 plus knocked prone, save gives half damage and not knocked prone.

It took Maxine only a moment to get her bag with potions and stuff and run to the sound of trouble.

Initiative: 14

Shae would smile softly at Maxine's determination to repair the boat. She'd give her an affirmative nod.

Feeling Berrus' hand find hers, she'd feel warm in her cheeks again. She'd weave her long slender fingers between his before she'd gently tug him closer to her side so she could bump into him softly. It was difficult for her not to enjoy the walk through the jungle. And they were making good time.

Though, as they broke through the dense jungle and their eyes fell upon the digsite, Shae's eyes would go wide. Her breath would escape her along with Berrus' bellows of his horn. Feeling a boost, the warlock would take her breath back. She'd feel that immediate sense of urgency hit her and she wanted to impulsively run forth. As she'd lurch forward to go, Shae would feel Berrus' grip firm in her hand, stopping her in her tracks. Stay close... She could not move the immovable. Of course... And it was the reminder she needed. She knew better than to dart off. "I will." She'd assure with a gentle brush of her thumb. She'd let go of his hand so he could properly prepare his defenses for battle and she could step back to take cover behind him as she'd follow him in.

Initiative: 8

Thank goodness, the trail was fresh and Maxine could run not caring about the branches and bushes on the way. (Dash for as long as she can)

Digsite


As you approach, you see the Tabaxi scout slash at one of the undeads before her, landing two blows with her scimitar, before you can hear a near-feral growl from her, as her arm and the ground before her is now covered in small maggots bursting forth from the undead. She desperately brushes them off her furry arms, although the undead before her is still standing.

Rushing to the aid of the survivors, you hear the Professor's shout, before you see him focus all of his elemental control to conjure a tidal wave to sweep the battlefield before you, catching half a dozen undead in its wake.

Zip meanwhile is rushing forwards toward the Tabaxi and the dwarf, and fires a crossbow bolt at the undead she had attacked previously. Thessalandra throws her dagger at the wounded undead, finishing it with a clean strike to the forehead, before rushing in on a second undead that's trying to grab unto the heavy crossbow attached to the stump of the darkskinned dwarven fighter's arm. Using her position to her advantage, she manages to pierce right through the back of the skull of the undead, almost dropping it completely. 

You hear more fighting from the improvised barricades further to the south, and from the wizard and halfling to the left though none of you can see exactly what is going on.

Note: Any undead turned away from their adversaries have been knocked prone by Professor's Tidal Wave.

Fang and Berrus, you're up!

Beachside


Seeing the creatures emerge from the undergrowth, Maxine leaps into the chesthigh water and is rushing towards the creatures before her, reaching the shore with rapid speed. You hear Falx shout something behind you, but can't make out the words, before you hear the whizz of his crossbow bolt streaking past you and striking a skeleton to your right.

You see one of the skeletons at the far right break into a sprint and wading into the water too. To the left of you, a skeleton takes aim with a whithered longbow, shooting at you emerging from the water. As you duck below the arrow, you see the regally clad leader of this small group make their way to a gap in the line, a large warbow in hand. Taking careful aim, it lets fly at you. Before you have time to dodge the first arrow, a second, and then a third are let fly towards your direction. Seeing you under threat, you hear a splash behind you, as Brax leaps into the water behind you, rage in his eyes. Looking back behind you for a brief moment, you see Bertrand donning his armour and grabbing his handaxe, ready to defend the ship against any boarders.

Your attention is quickly taken by the wave of undead skeletons rushing towards Brax and you now though.Two skeletons in tattered jaguar skins wielding obsidian-tipped clubs like swords swing at you.

The remaining two archers are shooting at Brax, still knee-high in the water behind you.



I have you at 5 HP, and you're up again, Maxine! You're at the fourth square from the right and the sixth from the top.

With so many wounds at once Maxine would die before doing anything useful. So, first things first: Cure Wounds for 7  then she takes Potion of Healing (Greater) from her backpack to have it ready.

Berrus advances swinging his axe at the closest undead

Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

2nd attack

Attack: 8 Damage: 5

Fangs attention is drawn away from the corpses by Glasses exclamation and Berrus’s sounding the horn discovered in the hags ritual cave.

Looking in the direction of the sound sees everyone running over to help defend this new unknown group of soft skins. Maintaining his position near the corpses readies and fires two arrows in rapid succession towards the undead closest to the group.

Mushu stays near Fang for the time being. Not wanting to get eaten by any undead creatures.