Jovial Jungle Jaunt (ToA)

Fighting through the pain in his shoulder Allister tears away from the snake and uses his enhanced speed to stab, slash and again stab the cat through its neck until he can hear it drown in its own blood. Far from finished with his enemies, hoping to finish the beasts quickly so Funderburk might be safed, Allister turns to the cat attacking Boosey. He pushes past him, stabbing his cutlass into the snakes protuding from the beastˋs shoulders. But when he sees that this won’t stop it he focuses on his inner strength and manages two more attacks with his rapier Attack: 22 Damage: 8Attack: 12 Damage: 11

Screaming as the snakes bite into him, Boosey lashes out at the cat with his shortsword.  His first swing cuts into the cat drawing blood (4 damage), and his second is wilds, only just missing it's head.  Gasping in pain, he retains his wits enough to cast healing word on himself, getting 6 healing back

Stepping out from behind the tree and keeping a hand extended to keep Orvex feeling protected, Sthara conjures up a crackling and sparking ball of thunder in her fist and sends it flying at the remaining beast (chromatic orb of thunder at level 3, 15 to hit for 32 thunder damage.

Allister and Boosey duck, weave and dodge with their enhanced speed given by Sthara. The cat can't seem to keep up with both targets. A quick strike comes in at Boosey's face, but Allister picks it away, slicing the snake head from its body. The kamadan cannot seem to land a blow.

Allister is completely focused on dodging the attacks from every angle that his first attack misses the cat. But finally he finds an opening and simultaneously jabs both blades into the exposed torso of his target.

After the beast falls dead to the ground Allister throws his weapons away and rushes to Funderburk. He kneels down, puts his head to his chest and cursed. „I can’t hear his heartbeat. Quick, cast a spell to help him through this.“

Seeing the state of Funderburk, Sthara grimaces. Nonetheless, she follows through with Allister's request and kneels down next to her fellow's blue body, whispering a healing word (Rolling for the hell of it: 5).

"I am sorry, Allister, but he doesn't respond to my spell..."

As the last cat goes down, Boosey quickly turns to the fallen Funderburk and it soon becomes obvious to the gnome that the worst has happened.  Fighting back the pain from his own wounds, he gently puts a hand on the fighters shoulder.  "Allister, he's gone," he says quietly.  "We should take him back to the compound.  Nenne will know what to do."  Suppressing a sob, he says, louder this time.  "We should get back.  Lingering here may attract more of those things.  Let's go.  Now!"  He starts to try to pick up Funderburks body  and drag him towards the compound.

„Well, damn it. Come, let’s get him back. We need a place for a proper burial.“ Allister gently gets Funderburk of the ground and carries him to the camp.

The weather seems to mimic the mood of the returning heroes as the four travelers make their way back to camp with their wizard carried in Allister's arms. Storm clouds gather and thunder rolls through the valley. Sheets of rain come on that will last the rest of the night through. Nenne is where she was when the party left her on such a simple exploration mission as they approach. The cleric takes note of their return, then does a double take away from her work to see Funderburk still and unmoving, hands and legs dangling lifelessly.

„We were ambushed by those snake cats. One pummeled him before we even noticed them. I think he was dead before he even realised what happened.“ Allister gives Funderburk to Nenne. „All we can do for him now is give him a proper burial.“

The change that comes over Nenne is like the turning of the seasons in the span of a single heartbeat. The grey chill of Winter surrenders to the garnet fury of Summer, until Winter's despair sets in once more - only, no one in the group has ever seen her skin so blue. It reminds them of Funderburk, but duller and somehow less devoid of life than his. A dark graphite color seeps through her hair from the roots out until she is saturated in the colors of mourning.

She stares at his body. 

"I had just finished." It comes out not as a statement, but as a plea. Her voice cracks. "29 souls, put to rest." 

Tears fall on Funderburk's face. She wipes them away, leaving her own cheeks stained, and sets him gently on the ground. She proceeds to clean and bind his wounds until his corpse is as presentable as possible. She then sits beside him and uses Mending on all of his clothes, ensuring they are free of spot, rip, or wrinkle. When they are all fixed, she smooths them out herself. A crimson light envelops her hand as she puts the finishing touches on his collar and spreads over his whole body. (Gentle Repose)

"There you go," she says to the wizard. "Perfect."

Boosey gives Nenne space to be with Funderburk as her colours change like the seasons.  He watches as the light appears in the Clerics and is in awe as it spreads over the wizards body. Approaching cautiously, he kneels by Funderburk and says to Nenne, "His story shall be spread throughout the world.  His sacrifice has been the greatest of all, and yet he should be proud of what he has achieved with us.  It was...is...a noble quest, one that could save the lives of many in this world, and his first thought was the safety of others, not himself.  He will be remembered." 

With that he takes Funderburks hand and says in gnomish, "Aig dol fodha na grèine agus sa mhadainn. Bidh cuimhne againn orra."

Hearing Boosey's words in the language unfamiliar to her, Sthara speaks her own in her native tongue.

"Phumla ngokulula, ibheli eliluhlaza. Ufikelele esiphelweni seelebhu yakho. Ubtao uphethe."

She leaves room for the others to mourn and, only once it seems that everyone has said all they can say, offers a thought.

"We should rest well. This place is far more dangerous than any other we have been. Let us eat, recuperate and speak with Orvex about other dangers we might encounter–the beasts from before, Nenne, when Funderburk...found the end of his maze, they were the same as the creatures at the shrine to Sseth, back in the north near Nyanzaru."

Once Funderburk has been laid to rest, and the others have said their goodbyes, Boosey looks to more mundane matters and begins the ritual casting of leomund's tiny hut.  "We should think about setting a watch and making out camp safe for tonight."  He looks like he might say more, but he seems to catch himself each time, and instead, returns to the casting of the hut.

Nenne doesn't move from her fallen friend's side. She sits hugging her knees, with a thousand-yard stare, breathing far too fast for a person at rest. 

The air is filled with a great deal of silence this rainy night. The leaky building has steady drips here and there. Orvex made a small fire to cook a rabbit, which he has long since finished. He pokes at the flames and the embers reflect their orange light in his eyes as he speaks, "I didn't know your friend, but I feel your pain. I buried a son before my life took an adventurous turn." He doesn't elaborate on the subject any more and sits in silence for a long time before speaking again, "If I may...Why are you people here in Omu?"

“Ah, finally the question I’ve been waiting for. But if you don’t mind, Orvex, we will talk about this matter tomorrow. One thing at a time. I’ll take first watch.“ After that Allister remains silent.

Orvex offers to take first watch with Allister, even though it's obvious he needs the rest more than anyone else. To his credit, he lasts all the way through the first hour before falling asleep up against a stone wall. Allister's mind is occupied with the events of the day as he paces around the leaky building. The warrior notices Boosey's fitful sleep as he walks by the gnome on patrol and thinks to himself how hard the gnome took Funderburk's death. Things click into place as he watches the bard's sleep turn from fitful to flailing arms. The warrior grabs the gnome by the shoulders, shaking him awake. It's not an easy task, but he manages to shake the poor guy into consciousness.

The gnome struggles to return to consciousness.  As Allister is shaking him, his quiet moaning turns to a steady, "no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," until he realises he is awake.  Boosey, realising what has happened looks a little embarrassed as he finds the fighter standing over him.  There's an awkward silence for a moment and the gnome eventually breaks it.  "I...I  promised to share a watch with Nenne.  I think she could use the company this night too."  He's left pondering the meaning of his dreams.