We're in Chult, now what do we do?
After attracting the attention of a few citizens of Port Nyanzaru, our heroes found themselves presented with two tasks. The first to provide a map of the Jungle Interior, in particular detailing the locations of Nangalore and Dungrunglung. If they succeed in this, they will receive a Trading Ship in return! The second, to provide a character witness for a a local dye merchant who mistakingly dealt with the Black Market. The heroes negotiated a supply of 'Jungle-Dyed' clothing in return.
The Heroes (Loucious the Drow Wizard, Ratt the Halfling Rogue and Tlan the Woodelf Paladin) met with the merchant prince, Kwayothé, to plead forgiveness for their new friend Omalu the Dye Master. In return for granting forgiveness, Kwayothé asked the heroes to complete a task for her, to kill Shago (no questions asked) within 10 days.
Faced with two quests, one rather questionable, they decided to first learn a bit more about Shago, so they traveled to where he could be found, in Fort Beluarian. While determining where Shago was, Loucious mistakingly spoke out loud his plan of luring Shago into the Jungle to murder him, where their current guide Musharib could hear. With a questionable glare, Musharib, asked Loucious to please explain. Not very happy with Loucious' explanation, Musharib, blended in with the crowds at the fort, as wasn't seen again.
The Heroes presence in the fort earned the notice of the fort commander, who invited them to join the Flaming Fist. Not ready to do so, they instead decided to set out into the jungle to destroy wandering ghouls and deliver their heads to the Flaming Fist, for 20 gold pieces for each. Being without a guide now, and at the end of their funds, this seemed like a wise choice.
Welcome to the Jungle!
Our heroes set off into the thick jungles just south of Fort Beluarian, in search of undead ghouls. After a few days of travel, and no ghouls, they decided to head back to the Fort and try to get back to Port Nyanzaru, to save their friend Omalu before the Kwayothé 10 day time limit was up. However, Tlan, acting as a guide, got them well and lost.
After discovering a few days later that they had traveled further south form the Fort, it was decided they should continue on foot back to the Port. They still hadn't encountered any real dangers, other than the thick jungle, and didn't' think much about siting some type of winged creatures that started following them in the distance on the 5th day.
They managed to make their way through the jungle all the way to within site of Port Nyanzaru, but then realized they would need to travel further south to find a place to cross the River Tiryki.
That's when the bad things happened.
As they setup camp on the 10th night out, they discovered their camp site was the home of ASSASSIN VINES! Within seconds, they had all been overcome by the vines, and passed out due to the poisonous thorns.
As they slowly regained consciousness however, they had fleeting experiences of tugging sensations, falling feelings and finally extreme head aches. They awoke to the screeching sounds of velociraptors and some type of winged lizard-like humanoids apparently fighting over them. The heroes themselves found they had been tied up and hung upside down, while an apparent fire had been setup to roast them. The velociraptors and winged creatures continued to fight which took them into the jungle surrounding the cook fires, giving the heroes a chance to break free, which they quickly took advantage of.
Once free however, they were unable to find any of their belongings and were also stripped of all clothing. Hearing one of their captors returning, they hid in the bushes, in an attempt to ambush it. Loucious, though, was very bad at hiding and ruined their chance for surprise. The winged creature let out a screech of alarm, and the heroes quickly attacked him with their bare hands. They grappled and beat the poor creature down, however before succumbing to the heroes blows, the creature tore poor Loucious apart, killing him.
Tlan and Ratt took off into the jungle wielding only a single javelin they had taken from the creature, and leaving their companion behind.
You're Buck-naked in the Jungle!
Survival became the biggest challenge, and without knowing exactly where they were, it took a few days for Tlan to determine that they were now 60 miles south of Fort Beluarian, and in undead territory. They encountered a lone skeleton, and quickly dispatched it. Grabbing a leg bone from the skeleton, Ratt now had a make shift club to provide a bit more of a threat should they meet anything else.
Drinking the water proved to be as bad as they had feared, and the both began to feel exhausted as Throat Leeches infected them. Realizing that there were in no shape to fight anything, they moved more slowly and more carefully. When they encountered a small herd of Axe-Beaks, they hid and luckily avoided being seen by the running giant and deadly birds.
Their condition worsened, but eventually they did indeed 21 days after they had entered the jungle, emerged naked, sick and exhausted at the gate to Fort Beluarian. Shago, himself, helped to carry them into the fort, and provide a place for them to rest and recuperate from their ordeal.
Deciding that they had made so many mistakes, Ratt, informed Shago, of Kwayothé's desire to have him killed. Surprised only a little Shago, laughed off the threat, but offered to be their guide and perhaps together discover why Kwayothé wanted him dead.
A New Guide
Our two heroes are still resting at Fort Beluarian, but now under the protection and watchful eye of their new friend, Shago. With more help, Tlan hopes to return to the jungle and locate his special items that are apparently lost in the jungle somewhere east of the River Tiryki, near Port Nyanzaru.
We'll have to see if their next journey into the jungle fairs better.
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