The Professor's flaming sphere burns two of the zombies near the barricade, and the catapult finishes off a third. You see both the Tabaxi scout rush towards the stores, which remain eerily quiet after the previous shouting. As you all push closer to the enemies, you can see that the zombie leader has withdrawn, with the remaining zombies slowly withdrawing, making their way south and back into the forest. Fang finishes off another one before it can slip away, and then you all hear the Tabaxi scout shout for help from inside the stores.

Noska meanwhile, without any way to burn the rot grubs that have burrowed in deeper, is looking at Berrus and Shae, desperately: "Please, they're in my leg. If you don't take it off, I'll die. Please, do it now!" The fear and desperation are written across his face.

Professor and Fang, you can both see meanwhile that the wizard has rushed over to his halfling companion, trying his best to rescusitate his badly burned friend.

What do you do?

If there isnt any other way Berrus will take the leg

Glasses:

The Professor cries, “Berrus, get a flame close to the leg!” and rushes over, using his control of flame to chase the grubs with fire as they tunnel through Noska’s leg.

“Sorry, this is going to really hurt,” he adds sadly.

Berrus holds Noska whilst professer applies the flame

"All ye options firs brother afore we take tha leg

Fang uses the healing magic taught to him by the village elders to restore the halfling to life. cure wounds 5

Shae would furrow her brows as she’d watch the zombies retreat. Something wasn’t sitting right. And as she watched them go, her heart sank in worry for the others back at the ship. Maxine... Brax... Bertrand... Falx...

The medic would have to swallow back her bubbling sense of panic before she overwhelmed herself with anxiety. Shae could hear the cries for help and the shouts of assistance. She needed to focus on what was within reach. She needed to act.

With Fang tending to the badly burned halfling, she’d give him a nod of appreciation. He could at least stable him for further mending. It was Berrus’ and the Professor’s procedure for Noska that needed immediate medical assistance.

Shae’s adrenaline would kick her into gear, pushing her forward. She’d rush over to take position next to Berrus and the Professor. Her focus was to sooth what pain she could and mend the wounds before he’d bleed out. She’d pull her belt loose, offering it to Noaska to bite on. She’d also ready some water from her waterskin. Snively wasn’t lying, the discomfort would be inconceivable.

Shae would look to Berrus with concern in her eyes as she’d guide his hands to pin Noska’s shoulders back, keeping him from lurching forward. She would then move to kneel down on Noska’s hip to hold his lower body down. “Sorry... I’m sorry... Sorry...” She’d mutter a few times under her breath as they went. This would leave her hands free to directly channel Kam’s magic to heal and sooth his pain, coordinating in time with Snively’s portion of the procedure. She’d nod to him. She trusted the Professor’s mastery of the elements to be able to fend off the maggots as well as purify the wounds by cauterizing.

It would definitely be a team effort, but she believed they could do it.

(Offering up Cure Wounds, Shape water, Guidance)

Berrus, Professor, and Shae, you can see that some of the maggots are still burrowing close to the surface, and the Professor is able to get them with his clockwork firestarter. By the wincing of Noska, you realise though that some of them have moved further into the flesh. Not thinking long, Berrus slices along the entry wounds and cutting into the muscle to try and get at the burrowing maggots, with the Professor managing to burn a couple more. Shae is doing her best to clean the wound using her waterskin and control over the liquid to wash out the shrivelled and burnt husks of the maggots, but Noska is bleeding heavily, and still shaking from the pain.

I need rolls for medicine, or cure wounds spells from Shae, a Dexterity check from Berrus, and an Arcana check from the Professor.

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Fang, as you push aside the inconsolable wizard, and put some leaves you had started to chew on your way over here onto the worst of the burns, the halfling slowly opens his eyes: "Owww... You son of a *****, Zymion, a couple seconds later, and I would've been clear... damn wizard." Then looking at you, it only now starts to sink in that you're a complete stranger, and not the wizard that put him down. "I... Uh... Thank you."

Glasses:

Arcana to guide the fire:  23

Dex check :15

Shae would begin to sing softly under her breath to try to give Noska something else to focus on, perhaps even sooth and calm him as she'd channel Kam's magic to cure his wounds.

 Casting Cure Wounds: 18

Fang nods in acknowledgment. The thanks doesn’t really mean much to him. Nor did he particularly have much interest in the continued life of the halfling. What mattered to Fang was the safety of Shae, and she went charging into this fight to aid these ... other soft skins. 

Fang will return to the corpses and continue his search for valuable/ re-usable material. If the new soft skins aren’t attached to the deceased... Fang will prepare them to be cooked. Waste not want not. He knew the others might have issue with it, but it didn’t sit well with Fang letting perfectly good meat go to waste. Though from his time with glasses and the others and how they viewed other soft skins, He didn’t want to anger this new group ...

Investigation: 12

Although bloody and painful, you manage to find and burn out the last of the rot grubs, saving Noska's leg in the process. Thanks to the healing touch of Shae, he doesn't look as rough as he did before. Noska looks at Berrus, with a deep appreciation: "Thank ya bruv. I was gettin' ready ta live without a leg too, if it hadna' been fer ye, I doubt I'd still have it. In fact, I doubt any o' this 'ere group woulda made it. Praised be the Allfather fer all o' ye in this godsforsaken jungle."

Shae: 

 As you look up, you see the tabaxi approach you, head hanging low: "Three Earrings could do nothing for others. All dead now." You can tell by the fresh blood on her furry arms and soaking into the light linen clothing, that the other members of the exploration team likely died in her arms, mere moments ago.

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Fang, the wizard looks at you with a mix of adoration and fear. "How are the others? We were surprised by the undead, and the swarm quickly separated us from them. Without you we'd be gone now, I'm certain of it." The burned halfling interjects: "Without him, I'd still be toast, thanks to you." The wizard grows pink, ashamed.

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Maxine, what would you like to do?

Oh, I thought you said Maxine and Ko continued repairing the ship.

Lending Brax a hand, he helps him get back on board the ship, to properly treat his wounds, before the remaining three of you can make sure you're ready to set sail if necessary. 

If rapiers are done but the party still not back yet, Maxine would go and check on them.

Shae didn't even have the chance to let out a small breath of relief for Naska. And if she did, it would have been short lived even before the approach of the tabaxi. Shae still had anxiety from being apart from the others back at the ship since the attack. She was also working to absorb the new realization of her magic source and the presence that came with it. Her heart would skip and then sink even further through the wave of her emotions. It was the Tabaxi warrior's cry she had heard, but failed to make it too. She knew she could never save everyone... but damnit...

Shae would exhale, finally picking herself up off the ground. It was never easy for her. But, she knew. She had to accept loss regardless of the choice made. Moving closer to Three Earrings, Shae would hang her head in silence for a moment before looking back to her. "You were there for them." She'd say softly as she'd hold her hands out beneath the Tabaxi's bloodied arms. Knowing it was a difficult burden to bare, Shae was reaching out to provide what comfort she could find. The warrior was present for their last moments. At least they weren't alone as they took their final breaths. With gentle gestures of her hands, Shae would push through her own hesitation, using her magic to clean away the blood.

(Casting: Prestidigitation )

To Noska "so wha happened n why ye out in this forsaken place?"

"We, that is, Three Earrings and I, was hired by Mika Ryllin, sum heir o' sum rich norrern Famly. He was green, but he read sumefin about Mezro tha' went beyond the usual, an he was convinced he could find the pruff here. I was responsible fer security, Three Earrings the scout. We had a small group wi the two of us, Mika, Florence, sum linguist we picked up from Port 'zaru, Corrin the archeologist, Zymion the wizard, an' a bunch of porters to carry our stuff. Were set up for a two-month dig on the site of the ol' city. Mika was real excited yesterday, becus we found sumfin important. He shown it ta Zymion, but I dannae what it wus, an' well, this mornin' we heard the undead. I had seen them in these parts before, but never this many and so organized. Together with Zymion, Three Earrings and Corrin, we managed to fend them off an' then got ta barricadin' the store house to keep the others safe, but before we was done, they attacked again, an' this time with even greater numbers. The rest, ye know."

The repairs aren't finished, but the blast you heard can't have been something good, and you wanted to make sure the others were safe, so Maxine sets off towards the forest. It is fearsome walking through the thick underbrush completely by yourself for what feels like an hour, constantly fretting whether you'll loose your way, but eventually you emerge onto a clearing and can see the rest of your group unharmed amids a scene of carnage.

Berrus looks up at Shae and the Professer

"I be  thinkin we should probly take em wi us back to whaever town we be goin"

then looking for Shae and holding out his hand  "Are ye alright luv"

Glasses:

Nodding to Berrus, the Professor says, "That makes sense, Berrus, but first I'd like to hear about this important discovery Master Ryllin found."  Snively keeps his firestarter out and watches for any stray rot grubs as he speaks.

Well beaten but alive enough to move Maxine came: "God, you are safe after all. We heard your signal but were attacked by undead on the beach. Fought them off, if barely. The ship is safe too. Who are your new friends?"