As the last plant creature withers away, you catch your respective breaths (and heal up with healing potions) and see the nearby tabaxi still covered in vines... What do you do?
Not dead yet and wanting to save his last Potion of Healing Craben will opt not to take his and instead check on the tabaxi. Examining and addressing their wounds.
As you begin to look him over the tabaxi's eyes suddenly open and as he writhes among the vines they begin to tumble off of him as he then looks around. "Wha- what happened? Who are you? The last thing I remember was... ah my head." He puts a hand to his forehead as you see a large gash most likely caused by the same creatures who just attacked you. As he then tries to pick himself up you see him unsteadily fall back down again as he once again holds his head in pain.
“Before that it seems like you were attacked by some plant like creatures.” Craben then gestures to the dead creatures surrounding them. “But we took care of them.”
The tabaxi, with the assistance of you all, slowly gets to his feet. "Yes... yes... it's coming back. I-I was a member of a rescue party, to save some... some citizens. I don't know what happened to everyone else though. They were captured by some... terror-folk, yes, that's it. Although they appeared crazed and withered, I think they're being controlled by something... or - someone. Not only that, but I believe that they have been afflicted by the... Death? Death curse, yes that's it. I... I have to find my companions. Please, can you help?" He then looks at you in a sorry state with pleading eyes.
The tabaxi blinks a couple times. "Big... d-dinosaur like people. They have wings, like pteranodons, but... humanoid. But quickly! The-there's no time to waste, we have to go." He then tries once again to get to his feet; however, he manages to shakily stand up this time. He then looks farther down the path, "We must move with haste, there's no telling what has happened!"
"Dinosuar people..." Gwen says, her voice trailing off momentarily, she kneels down in front of the tabaxi, "Tell ya what, if we can head back to civilization and rest, clean up, mend our wounds and whatnot, we can be back and rescue your companions. That way, we won't die or get captured ourselves in the process of rescuing your friends. Okay?"
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"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
The tabaxi looks around, as he does the silence of the area sets in. "If healing is what you need, I think we might be able to manage a quick rest here. Going back to civilization would only waste more time." He then moves into the center of the path, as far as possible from the deep interior of the jungle.
"I don't see why not, we'll stay here for a bit, then move on and find your friends once we're sufficiently healed and rested." Gwen proceeds to take a seat in a relatively open area of the jungle and begin binding her wounds to the best of her ability.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
The tabaxi mostly sits away from you all, rubbing some kind of strange salve on his gashes and scratches. Eventually, he does let out: "I am Ashen Rock. That is all." at which point he simply turns away and begins to sharpen his shortsword and arrows on a small whetstone. Eventually, after about an hour of sweating in the hot, humid, mosquito-ridden jungle you feel prepared to set out again. Ashen Rock leaps forwards and begins to crouch down, effortlessly assuming a position of stealth as he weaves his way through the jungle. He then turns back to you all: "Quickly, let us move."
As you make your way through the jungle following the Tabaxi Scout a light rain begins to fall, creating a small symphony along the leaves of the dense trees. Suddenly, as Ashen Rock kneels down looking for tracks he holds out his paw, stopping the group. "Matabo vines, be careful." You then notice several vines hidden among the underbrush similar in size and color to the ones that attacked you when you were in the cage match against Slicer the Kenku, except these are much much larger. However, being in front, Ashen Rock manages to guide you around the humongous vines. As you travel further you can't help but hear something mixed in with the pitter-patter of the rain: "Croakss" It's subtle, but soon the noise repeats, again, and again, like a jungle cacophony it pounds into your brain, when suddenly, as soon as it started... it stops. Ashen Rock looks out to each of you and speaks quickly: "Strange... Be on your guard." He then draws his shortsword and as he pulls away the next bramble you see a new sight.
The sort of path appears, and as it slopes upward you see that it reaches a hilly clearing covered in thick grass. Five small humanoids with bright green skin gather around a small, decorated stone block in the center of a small pool of water. However, the creatures do not seem to notice you, nor do they actually move at all. Instead, they simply stand there... a strange complacent smile (although they are frogs, so it's kinda hard to tell what's a smile and what's not) plastered upon their faces. Nearby you look and (Minor Graphic Descriptions)
you see two bodies, practically mutilated they lie in a pool of their own blood and guts. Through the gore, however, you manage to recognize one of them: The Elven Woman from before lies with a visage of pure fear permanently affixed to her face.
As the last of the frog men perishes to Craben's holy light, the snake statue breaks open, revealing a strange pedestal upon which you see a small talisman. Meanwhile, Ashen returns from investigating his fallen comrades. "They have perished. With the withering plague in effect... I shall return their bodies to the Port. Thank you for your services." He then bows and hands Gwen a small pouch. "For your assistance." Only to wheel around, pick up the ruined bodies, and rush back into the jungle, leaving you alone in the small clearing.
“Let’s hope we don’t run into anything else.” Craben says with a lighthearted chuckle, obviously worse for wear. “I’m going to go check out that snake statue now.” Craben goes an picks up whatever was opened by the statue and investigates it.
The strange talisman seems to be part of an... amulet of some kind? Suddenly you realize, it fits with the other amulet! Why the ridges along the flat side of the talisman would most certainly match the shape of the snakehead trinket that you found in the smuggler's passage!
“Fascinating. This seems to go with the other snake parts we found earlier.” Craben would also like to investigate the statue specifically for any words on it or symbols or anything.
The statue itself seems to be a startling depiction of the night serpant, Dendar. Dendar is one of the patron dieties of the Yuan-Ti, a race of snake-people, and is known also as The "Nightmare Serpant" due to the fact that she actually devours the nightmares and fears of all who follow her (and some who oppose her), which interestingly is not within itself an evil act, and oftentimes leads to peaceful slumbers. Nevertheless, that seems to be all that is special about the strange statue that enthralled the (now foaming) frog-people.
As the last plant creature withers away, you catch your respective breaths (and heal up with healing potions) and see the nearby tabaxi still covered in vines... What do you do?
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Not dead yet and wanting to save his last Potion of Healing Craben will opt not to take his and instead check on the tabaxi. Examining and addressing their wounds.
As you begin to look him over the tabaxi's eyes suddenly open and as he writhes among the vines they begin to tumble off of him as he then looks around. "Wha- what happened? Who are you? The last thing I remember was... ah my head." He puts a hand to his forehead as you see a large gash most likely caused by the same creatures who just attacked you. As he then tries to pick himself up you see him unsteadily fall back down again as he once again holds his head in pain.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Yosben looks to Gwen. "Do you think you can help him stay up?" and then turns back to the tabaxi, "What's the last thing you remember?"
“Before that it seems like you were attacked by some plant like creatures.” Craben then gestures to the dead creatures surrounding them. “But we took care of them.”
The tabaxi, with the assistance of you all, slowly gets to his feet. "Yes... yes... it's coming back. I-I was a member of a rescue party, to save some... some citizens. I don't know what happened to everyone else though. They were captured by some... terror-folk, yes, that's it. Although they appeared crazed and withered, I think they're being controlled by something... or - someone. Not only that, but I believe that they have been afflicted by the... Death? Death curse, yes that's it. I... I have to find my companions. Please, can you help?" He then looks at you in a sorry state with pleading eyes.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
"Terror-folk? Who are they?" Yosben inquires, "Anyway I'd be more than happy to help, and I believe my companions would be willing as well."
The tabaxi blinks a couple times. "Big... d-dinosaur like people. They have wings, like pteranodons, but... humanoid. But quickly! The-there's no time to waste, we have to go." He then tries once again to get to his feet; however, he manages to shakily stand up this time. He then looks farther down the path, "We must move with haste, there's no telling what has happened!"
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
"Dinosuar people..." Gwen says, her voice trailing off momentarily, she kneels down in front of the tabaxi, "Tell ya what, if we can head back to civilization and rest, clean up, mend our wounds and whatnot, we can be back and rescue your companions. That way, we won't die or get captured ourselves in the process of rescuing your friends. Okay?"
"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
~ Guild Wars 2
The tabaxi looks around, as he does the silence of the area sets in. "If healing is what you need, I think we might be able to manage a quick rest here. Going back to civilization would only waste more time." He then moves into the center of the path, as far as possible from the deep interior of the jungle.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
"I don't see why not, we'll stay here for a bit, then move on and find your friends once we're sufficiently healed and rested." Gwen proceeds to take a seat in a relatively open area of the jungle and begin binding her wounds to the best of her ability.
"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
~ Guild Wars 2
“I agree. At least a short rest to reconver some of our strengths.”
Craben will then find a nice place to sit and also begin bandaging himself up.
The tabaxi mostly sits away from you all, rubbing some kind of strange salve on his gashes and scratches. Eventually, he does let out: "I am Ashen Rock. That is all." at which point he simply turns away and begins to sharpen his shortsword and arrows on a small whetstone. Eventually, after about an hour of sweating in the hot, humid, mosquito-ridden jungle you feel prepared to set out again. Ashen Rock leaps forwards and begins to crouch down, effortlessly assuming a position of stealth as he weaves his way through the jungle. He then turns back to you all: "Quickly, let us move."
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
As you make your way through the jungle following the Tabaxi Scout a light rain begins to fall, creating a small symphony along the leaves of the dense trees. Suddenly, as Ashen Rock kneels down looking for tracks he holds out his paw, stopping the group. "Matabo vines, be careful." You then notice several vines hidden among the underbrush similar in size and color to the ones that attacked you when you were in the cage match against Slicer the Kenku, except these are much much larger. However, being in front, Ashen Rock manages to guide you around the humongous vines. As you travel further you can't help but hear something mixed in with the pitter-patter of the rain: "Croakss" It's subtle, but soon the noise repeats, again, and again, like a jungle cacophony it pounds into your brain, when suddenly, as soon as it started... it stops. Ashen Rock looks out to each of you and speaks quickly: "Strange... Be on your guard." He then draws his shortsword and as he pulls away the next bramble you see a new sight.
The sort of path appears, and as it slopes upward you see that it reaches a hilly clearing covered in thick grass. Five small humanoids with bright green skin gather around a small, decorated stone block in the center of a small pool of water. However, the creatures do not seem to notice you, nor do they actually move at all. Instead, they simply stand there... a strange complacent smile (although they are frogs, so it's kinda hard to tell what's a smile and what's not) plastered upon their faces. Nearby you look and (Minor Graphic Descriptions)
you see two bodies, practically mutilated they lie in a pool of their own blood and guts. Through the gore, however, you manage to recognize one of them: The Elven Woman from before lies with a visage of pure fear permanently affixed to her face.
What do you do?
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
As the last of the frog men perishes to Craben's holy light, the snake statue breaks open, revealing a strange pedestal upon which you see a small talisman. Meanwhile, Ashen returns from investigating his fallen comrades. "They have perished. With the withering plague in effect... I shall return their bodies to the Port. Thank you for your services." He then bows and hands Gwen a small pouch. "For your assistance." Only to wheel around, pick up the ruined bodies, and rush back into the jungle, leaving you alone in the small clearing.
What do you do?
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
“Let’s hope we don’t run into anything else.” Craben says with a lighthearted chuckle, obviously worse for wear. “I’m going to go check out that snake statue now.” Craben goes an picks up whatever was opened by the statue and investigates it.
The strange talisman seems to be part of an... amulet of some kind? Suddenly you realize, it fits with the other amulet! Why the ridges along the flat side of the talisman would most certainly match the shape of the snakehead trinket that you found in the smuggler's passage!
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
“Fascinating. This seems to go with the other snake parts we found earlier.” Craben would also like to investigate the statue specifically for any words on it or symbols or anything.
Yosben watches closely behind Craben from under his shoulder, trying to see if he can pick out anything else about it.
The statue itself seems to be a startling depiction of the night serpant, Dendar. Dendar is one of the patron dieties of the Yuan-Ti, a race of snake-people, and is known also as The "Nightmare Serpant" due to the fact that she actually devours the nightmares and fears of all who follow her (and some who oppose her), which interestingly is not within itself an evil act, and oftentimes leads to peaceful slumbers. Nevertheless, that seems to be all that is special about the strange statue that enthralled the (now foaming) frog-people.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3