Cha. 1.2 - Sadur's and Kimbek Down and... up?

Sadur grabs few lianas to tie both Silver and Pepper to him. He believes he is strong enough to hold the animals should they slip, should he be able to catch any tree (and I assume there are enough of them on the way down).
OK, let's go, no time to waist. Sadur start descending looking for easier path but certainly moving from one tree to another, when possible holding to lianas while moving.
He orders animals to follow him.

Kimbek follows at what he hopes is a safe distance (in case he should slip, he does not want to fall into Sadur or the animals). "Should we try to zig-zag our way down, if that makes it less steep?"

Tying Silver to himself was an easy task for Sadur - as they have trained walking on the leash many times, and now the dog is so obedient or intelligent that the leash is not necessary at all. But Pepper... that's another story... a happy going, energetic animal that she is... at first she thought it's some kind of play... a new person, but old game: laso throwing. She started to run away from him, thinking she was to be a live target.

Strategically thinking Kimbek - as always - he stood on the edge of the slope and began to look for the most optimal descent route for all four of them.

Sadur tried every trick he knew, which usually worked perfectly... with canines. But Pepper was truly a unique creature. It wasn’t just that she was a dinosaur (Sadur had handled those many times before), but her personality and previous training methods seemed completely different from anything Sadur had encountered so far. He made a mental note to ask Belladonna about it when they met again.

Sadur had lost many precious minutes [20m] and even more of his patience. Neither threats, encouragement, nor the tricks he knew seemed to work. Clearly, the cheerful Pepper had decided that, no matter what, she was not going to be "on a leash" that day. Irritated, Sadur finally waved his hand at her dismissively, turned on his heel, and returned to Kimbek.

It turned out that Kimbek had mapped out a descent route for them down the slope. Perhaps not as direct as Sadur would have liked, but using a few stone ledges and clearings visible among the jungle trees below seemed quite reasonable. And in the end of the day, should allow them to descent faster and more secure then other way.

The friends began their cautious descent. Sadur, who had spent the last few minutes pretending not to care about Pepper at all, was actually glancing at her surreptitiously. This time, it worked. The animal seemed clearly disappointed that their "game" was apparently over and began to follow them, sometimes trotting up quickly to Sadur and nudging him playfully with her snout. This continued to slightly irritate the royal kennel master, accustomed as he was to his charges' obedience, but the most important thing was: it worked. And Pepper was following them, always staying within sight.

---

The lower they descended, the more they felt engulfed by the jungle. Inside the ravine, which always seemed to be shrouded in a bit of shadow, the jungle became even darker and, one might say, more somber. They also began to encounter strange vegetation that even Kimbek—knowledgeable in various plant species—couldn’t identify. Even Pepper seemed to stay closer to them than before, no longer disappearing behind the nearby trees.

More and more frequently, they began to notice thick clusters of hairy growths on the trees, resembling parasitic mistletoe known to them from the kingdom, but much larger and denser. They even thought that some of these "leafy fuzzballs" appeared to be in different places, following them, each time they looked, but they quickly agreed it must be an illusion, the result of eyes unused to so much Green.


When they reached the bottom of the ravine, the ground flattened out abruptly, and they felt an even greater humidity in the air than before. As Kimbek had predicted, they found a sluggishly flowing stream at the ravine’s base, which they had to cross to continue their journey. The stream was roughly 3 meters (10 feet) wide, with a visibly lazy current, which had caused the water to become heavily silted, making it appear black and impenetrable. On its banks, many smaller and larger stones had gathered, over which towered the thickest and sturdiest trees they had yet encountered.

What do you do? You can act upon everything described.

Kimbek points to the "leafy fuzzballs" as they pass near them. "I don't trust these things. Stay away from them." He is surprised by how small and insignificant his voice feels but then realizes that the dense foliage was probably swallowing up much of the sound. He was almost surprised that he could hear the stream so far above when there was such greenery around them.

He begins looking around at the trees near them, trying to see if any of them had large enough branches (or perhaps a fallen trunk) that extended over the stream. "I also wouldn't go in the water. If it were clear, that would be one thing, but who knows what creatures or parasites reside in that murk." He belatedly thinks of the animals. "Unless we have to."

Kimbek, you sound like a cosmopolitan mother teaching her first child. It is just a small river dwarf simply jump over the river with a decent start and calls silver to come to him Animals are not children, if they can't survive this place, then I'm really sorry for them. he ads sadly.

Kimbek nods. "You know me. I have a tendency to overthink things."

He makes sure the animals have gotten across before he makes a similar leap of confidence.

Once the animals are safely across, if there is no fallen tree or anything else to act as a bridge across the water, Kimbek will also try to jump over.

Was it a different personality, methods or some collected fruits on their way, but Kimbek seemed to have much better connection with Pepper than Sadur. He invented some moves and behaviors that attracted the energetic dinosaur and even managed to encourage Pepper to play a new game: jumping up and trying to catch one of the branches of the bigger three growing on the other side of the river, extending to the their side. After few tries Pepper caught one of the trunks with her jaws, swung a few times and by great luck and her weight, made the bigger part of a three broke and fell over the river.

Meantime, Sadur - apparently bored with Kimbek cautious approach or having enough of dealing with Pepper for a day - decided to simply jump over the black river. He spent some time looking for a suitable place to have some run-up, what was really hard with all the stones and threes on each side of the river. Finally he decided to make a leap over the stream. He didn't manage to get to the other side, missing the branch he intended to catch on the other side by mere inches. When he landed near the other bank of the river he felt that his right leg fallen on something squishy making him fall over only to realize that the stream is only like 1 mater(3,3ft) deep. When he turned back to see what his leg encountered he saw similar picture:

A bigger, very green, bug-like creature was pulling out a smaller one, very similar to its helper creature. When they both reached the shore, the larger creature began to shake what appeared to be a crest on its head, which in turn caused a loud, ear-piercing sound, seaming to penetrate Sadur's, Kimbek's and their animal companion's skulls, making them feel dizzy and overwhelmed for a moment. When they got used to the sound a little or the creature changed it's frequencies they could refocus again and saw a strange tiger-like creature on the nearby three, apparently called by the Crest Bug to it's aid. Visibly preparing for an attack.

What do you do?

Kimbek draws out the club as he hears the strange creatures and turns around, ready to defend himself and the nearby animals if necessary.

That's a failure on the acrobatics check

Pepper also seeing two new enemies stands still and tense in the middle of the fallen trunk that they used as for a makeshift bridge. This sudden stop of dino makes Kimbek who was running over the trunk and trying to bypass animals loose his balance for a moment. Unfortunately it was enough to make him fall in the black waters near the bridge making him holding his breath before resurfacing and being completely soaked with water - just as Sadur is.

Silver is sitting on the other side of the river waiting for Sadur to give him a command. Now as a threat approach he is barking, but still wait for his master's command. Sadur rise "Back"! Get damn Pepper back"

Sadur quickly move in front of Pepper and turn to face the enemy, taking a pose Kimbek seen Sadur using in pit fights while waiting for enemy to make their turn first.

Kimbek stands, sputtering and spitting out as much of the water as possible.

"I'll get her. Stay safe."

He retrieves the club/tool he had dropped and turns toward the dinosaur.

With a swift roll Sadur managed to get out of the water onto the shore and stand back on his feet with one move! He immediately started to run towards the trunk and stands in front of Pepper in defensive pose.

In the same time Kimbek manage to steady his breath and takes out the crowbar he managed to "free" from one of their dreadful captors.The friends since fighting pits times notices that the Strange Tiger is in really good shape, well feed and ready for a good fight. In contrast to Crest Bug, that looks not so sturdy - but still very determined to protect its younglings that Sadur has attacked(at least in its mind) in such vicious way... of stomping over it.

While they were doing above the Crest Bug shoved its Young One into the nearby bushes and returned to water[move], swimming in it not worse than a fish towards Kimbek. Still making this awful, ears and almost brain hurting sound, apparently caused by Crest Bug's shake of its crest. With a fast jump out of the water - with surprising impact, considering how short distance it head to gain some speed - the Crest Bug lunged at Kimbek...

In the same time Strange Tiger made a swift jump towards Sadur and attempts to free the dwarf from the burden of carrying his head on his shoulders with a mighty swing of its paw...But apparently years of training and facing equally experienced foes had allowed Sadur to duck just under the powerful swing, and Kimbek taking a step to the side, causing the bug to fly past him rather than jump on him.

Kimbek does what he can to ready an attack against the bug swimming towards him.

The tiger realizing that his swing of the paw didn't work as intended lets out a mighty roar, angry and ready to step up his efforts of dismembering this new enemy that it haven't encountered before in the jungle. Changing its strategy he tries to attack Sadur with its claws and jump even further to bite him.

In the same time Crest Bug makes a swift u-turn in the water and repeats its attempt of jumping over Kimbek with its sharply pointed legs and hard beak.Sadur seeing tiger extending its claws in the preparation for immediate next attack, knows that they are not something that he would like to have stuck in his stomach or anything else. So he puts all the strength and experience to duck this fatal blow. He smiles when three sharp like nails claws hit the air on his right side. Only to realize that there is something off with the way tiger moves... and it don't seem to be putting an additional weight on the trunk they are now standing on. [Perc roll result]

Distracted by this sudden realization or not being ready for the tiger continuing his momentum and lunging with his whole body at him... Sadur doesn't mange to do another dodge and sees the tiger's jaws open and descending upon his head in a deadly grip.

But it is not his body that begins to hurt, but his mind that seems to be teared in two, as if the dizzying sound of the bug had finally managed to penetrate his scull! When he open - the instinctively closed eyes - again looking for help to ease the immense pain, he sees that the tiger is immersed in his body, which is otherwise intact.

Then he feels being pulled back. When he looks in that direction, he realizes that it's a completely disoriented Pepper trying to pull him off the fallen tree trunk, stepping back and holding his arm in her snout. But he is not able to do anything about it as the pain is almost unbearable.

Crest Bug's another attack at Kimbek was even less lucky than one before, as Kimbek managed to deflect it with a well-aimed blow with the crowbar, causing the bug to fall onto its back on the nearby shore. Rendering it helpless for a moment.Kimbek started to realize that the awful sound made by Crest Bug that seam to try to penetrate their mind's have to be something more then plain inconvenience or distraction... he realized that this sound is controlling this strange tiger or... maybe... even making it appear in their minds[Int roll GS] not being real at all.

Kimbek - not wanting to waste such opportunity - runs towards the shore and the fallen bug and makes a well considered swing from the bottom, hitting the bug in its crest that breaks immediately [Nat 19, d10 result of 9: "Crushed Larynx"] and severing the fallen animal very badly[3 damage].

The moment awful sound stops to be generated by the bug's crest Sadur stops to feel pain and... the tiger vanishes.

At main Sadur don't realized there is no more a tiger to protect pepper from. Besides he is angry at animal being still there though he asked Kimbek to call it off. Sadur try to release his arm from Pepper's mouth and push the damn animal back. BACK Papper, back he cries.

Kimbek does use his free attack.

"By the spirits, that screaming! It's killing us."

With a satisfying (and bone chilling in the same time ) sound of cracking chitinous crest and scull of the bug, that Kimbek's hit made with his crowbar: the combat is clearly over. The battered animal makes a few weak leg movements as the life ebbed from it, and then it froze forever. Kimbek was quite sure that in the same moment, the bug with psychic powers died he heard a low groan from the nearby bushes, as if someone had let out a single, prolonged sob.

Pepper being yelled at and completely confused by sudden disappearance of strange tiger that moment a go seemed to be eating Sadur raw flesh and for that her attempt to help Sadur was met with such a negative reaction... she began to quickly retreat, completely embarrassed and disoriented, back to the other side of makeshift bridge made out of fallen trunk.

What do you do?

Kimbek goes to check out what made the sound in the bushes, keeping his club at the ready.

Pepper not want to go down hills, then try to distract me in a middle of a fight. And that thing - that tiger? Was it a magic? I'm usually resistant to magic. Sadur keeps complaining until he reach his dog, that's when he smiles and note Everyone safe, at least for now

Sadur finds a vine to tie silver to himself. Silver, this is just in case. Now, follow! he orders his dog and start climbing up the ravine. That's something a dwarf spend his childhood in the mountains is well familiar with, so he don't believe it could be any hard, can it?

Kimbek slowly approches the nearby bushes where he heard the strange sound, holding firmly his crowbar. With a tip of the tool that for now was functioning more as weapon then enything else he shovels away bushes. Underneath of them he see the much smaller version of Crest Bug, the one that the bigger - adult - one was apparently trying to protect from sudden intruders. The young one is visiblly much less developed than its parent, seems harmless and completly lost - stepping from one side of the rock it is currently sitting on, to the other side and back again. Kimbek suspects that without its mother's or father's guiding sound it doesn't have a sense of direction or something similar. If it was true - Kimbek wanders - it would be very strange to have so dependent younglings on their parents for this particular spiecies. It doeas not feel as the best breeding strategy. But who knowks? Maybe there is something more to it?

What Kimbek does with his find?

Sadur with his head feeling like it was going to explode any moment [headache from the mind attack and -3 Will], finds some comfort in interaciton with his best friend: Silver. Gathering his strength and focus with effort that only dwarves can afford prepers for his way back. Up the ravine. In hope of joining others(?) or for his other reasons.

Kimbek attempts to gently pick up the bugling and see if it will stay still enough to carry on his shoulder.

Surprisingly the bugling seams so disoriented that it doesn't resist Kimbek picking it up. It even seams to appreciate closeness of his body, probably being quite used to be close to its parent. But it appears that Kimbek didn't notice[Noromal Failure] that the young one - same as its parent - has legs with rather sharp claws. Taking it in his arms he felt small pricks of the legs piercing through his skin, immediately followed by unpleasant tingling sensation. Kimbek is quite sure it wasn't the bugling intention to hurt him, but he had to learn the hard way, that in the future he has to pay a close attention to the claws on its legs and that they may contain some kind of substance at their tips.

Other than that, the confused animal seams to calm dawn on Kimbek's shoulder a little and in the few moments it seams to sit still and even its crest start to produce a nice, quiet, calming hum, resembling more of steady song of cicadas, rather than aggressive cacophony it's parent produced not so long ago. Kimbek also notice that it is munching with its beak, indicating that it may become hungry very soon.

What do you do next?

"Ouch.... Woah." Kimbek's dizziness as the insect's poison affected him was apparent. "Apparently the creature's poisonous."

Still, with the small creature quieted (except for the cicada-like sound it was making) on his shoulder, he made his way to where Sadur was.

Kimbek will continue to follow the animals to help guide them after Sadur. He also keeps an eye out for more of the plain fruits to see if they might be what the little insect can eat.

Sadur seeing that Kimbek is joining him notice his new "friend" sitting on his shoulder and that Pepper is also approaching them. The nimble, but not so big dino visibly wasn't so self-confident and frivolous anymore, instead looking more so frightened and subdued. Plus after recent harsh treatment from Sadur she is visibly trying to avoid him. But as she is looking for some support in this environment, she apparently is finding it in Kimbek.

Noticing a tiny insect perched on Kimbek’s shoulder, Sadur let out a sharp huff of disdain. The small creature froze instantly, shrinking into itself and feigning death. Observing this, Pepper trotted over to Kimbek, seemingly volunteering to take the lead for the uphill trek through the steep ravine.

Undeterred by the small drama, Sadur pushed forward with characteristic dwarven determination. Despite a pounding headache from the recent battle with the spectral tiger, he bulldozed his way through the underbrush, snapping branches and clearing obstacles with sheer brute force. His endurance saw the group through roughly half of the arduous ascent, but eventually, the strain and fatigue caught up with him, forcing him to pause.

In that very moment, Pepper—now thoroughly trained to stay with the group thanks to Kimbek—did something unexpected. The small dinosaur rushed over to Sadur, gently nudged her head under his arm, and made a clear effort to hoist him onto her back. Should Sadur accept the offer, Pepper would tilt her head toward him, emitting a long, birdlike squeal. To anyone watching, it might have sounded like she was saying: "See? I can be useful too!"

Taking advantage of the brief stop, Kimbek began to survey the surrounding vegetation. His keen eyes soon spotted something he had observed before—clusters of fruit he had named Death’s Apples.

"For humans, undoubtedly lethal," Kimbek muttered to himself, examining the fruits with interest. "But for a tiny creature that already carries venom in its body?" He pondered aloud, his curiosity piqued by the strange interplay of toxins in the jungle's ecology.

With the combined efforts of Sadur’s formidable strength, Kimbek’s keen observation and strategic planning, and the unexpectedly obedient and helpful Pepper, the group managed to ascend the steep ravine. Their teamwork carried them to the other side, where they quickly spotted a set of ancient stone stairs. These began just beyond the remnants of a precarious hanging bridge.

Step by careful step, they climbed higher, the jungle thinning slightly around them as the elevation rose. Eventually, the stairs brought them to a grand stone portal, its surface weathered and worn. The structure loomed before them, a silent guardian of what lay beyond. Its presence suggested it was once part of a temple, long since fallen into ruin, though the faint traces of its former majesty lingered in its carved details and sheer scale.

What do you do?

Kimbek looks at the impressive structure. "You think the others saw this too? Hopefully we'll catch up with them soon."

Huh. Sadur exclaims with not particular meaning And we didn't see it from the other side?.
I follow Kimbek wherever he goes.

What Sadur and Kimbek didn't know was that they were quite lucky, as the strange birds that Belladona encountered have flew somewhere else... probably still fighting for her red scarf.

Although a little tired they continued to climb over countless steps towards the stone portal, entered it with caution an emerged on the other side of short corridor contained in ancient structure's walls.

Before their eyes they saw another bunch of stairs ending with a square with a stone floor, on it some last remains of ruins and some tents sitting between them like ducks trying to hide in dense vegetation, but immediately visible.

Before they were able to reach the stairs leading to the square they heard a muffled sound to their left, coming from nearby bushes:
"Shhh..." - apparently someone was trying to attract their attention and probably themself too.

Pepper behavior changed a little, making it look a little excited and starting to sniff the air around them, but still staying close to Kimbek.What do you do?

Upon hearing the hushed warning, Kimbek looks around with some urgency then attempts to sneak towards the sound, taking Pepper with him. He also attempts to get Sadur's attention if Sadur had not heard the whisper.

If they are hiding from me - that should mean people afraid of me and are shushing each other (or their children for example). Sadur thinks straight. Dwarf barbarian is quite used for human children to be afraid of him.

I mean no harm. He say aloud, rise his hands to show he has no weapons and moves forward.

After quite successful attempt of moving silently towards the source of sound[NS] for a few good feet Kimbek sees that Pepper caught someone's or something's scent, abruptly severs all ties with him and runs towards the center of the camp[TF]. Resigned Kimbek continues his stealth approach... for it only be interrupted once again by Sadur bold and direct approach... Kimbek while crouching sees Sadur bypassing him and heading straight to the place the sound came from with risen hands.

For their good luck it wasn't an enemy or some other treat that called them, but it was Princes Shallan herself. She raised a little from her hiding place in the bushes to show with gestures that Sadur should crouch too and behave silent, then with some other gestures she invites them to join her and the most of The Rest, that were hiding in the bushes.

Her eyes becomes wide open when she notice what a peculiar creature is Kimbek caring on his shoulder, but manages to hold her curiosity and focuses on more pressing matters. She explains quickly that they have found this strange camp that looks abandoned at some times, but other signs looks like it would be left not so long ago. So they decided to observe it for a while, didn't see any movement and then decided to send Delia and Auren under Belladona's command to investigate it. Coincidentally they went there like 10 minutes ago.

"So... maybe you will join them? And by the way... what is this creature... I have never seen anything like this! Does it have any name?" - the sparks of curiosity started to shine in her eyes, and she is visibly preparing to touch the bugling on KImbek's shoulder with her finger.

What do you do?

"Don't touch it. I haven't fed him yet, so we're not exactly bonded. I don't want him to be scared off." Kimbek whispers. "He'll have a name once we've bonded." Kimbek realizes rather belatedly that he had just barked at royalty.

"It is the offspring of a creature we had to kill. Some kind of psychic screaming insect that could create illusions."

Kimbek tries to feed the bugling some of the fruit in an effort to calm it down.

Sadurs as as instructed and when Shallan share the info on situation he just say:
Investigation? I'm not kind of investigator, Kimbek is. And I'm not good with people should we find any. I'm only good with animals... well I was good back home he looks at Pepper with a sad smile. I used to be good at travelling mountains and jumping and... I better stay here with you, to protect you.

Dwarf seemingly lost some of hiss will to contribute to party progress.

"What exactly are we hiding from, anyway." Kimbek whispers to anyone around him who might know.

"Oh... I see..." - Shallan pulls back her hand with some confusion on her face as even being a very modest person and always kind to others - especially considering her social status of being a daughter of the king - she wasn't used to harsher answers and way of talking towards her. She become a little gloomy as she would be thinking: "Hmm... so that's the way things will be from now on... if I will not fight for my respect alone...", but then she hears of the animal organ and immediately brightens again and says:
"SO it's dangerous? Like it's parent? Thanks for the warning! How did you manage to tame it in such short time?" - she asks while watching with delight as Kimbek is feeding the little fellow still sitting on his shoulder with half of Death Apple[NS]. Fortunately Death Apple didn't seem deathly at all for the little bugling, on the contrary it made it look more bright and alive.

But when Sadur approached her Princess Shallan straightened a little, taking visibly more serious pose and offering the brave dwarf her full attention. After listening to what he had to say, she answered:
"I think you really underestimate yourself, Mr. Sadur! I saw Pepper with you looking better than before. And I don't think walking her through the bridge would end good.... You both - with your friend Kimbek - also look well and healthy. You even brought a new friend to our little company! I'm very sure it was your brave and bold leadership and lack of hesitation when the matters required it that brought all four of you back to us! Thank you!" - Shallan ended bestowing the sturdy dwarf with charming smile and then added:
"Of course, if that's your wish - stay with me and the rest of our people. It's better not to have too many investigator at once in one place."Picking up on Kimbek's whisper, the princess decided to be the one to answer:
"Hiding... ehh... I wouldn't necessary call it that way. We - together with Belladona - decided to make and send a scouting party, before our main forces will join. In case it would be some kind of trap... I heard that my father always do it this way..." - she explained with noticeable doubt in her last sentence.
"Will you join Belladona, Mr. Kimbek? If you are as good investigator as Mr Sadur claims, you should."

Kimbek nods. "I will of course join the investigation. I'm sure my abilities will be of assistance there." He nods back to the little bug. "If you hear it start to make a noise, plug your ears. I'm not sure if that will help or not, or if the attack is purely psychic, but if it is sonic in some way, that might help some."

Kimbek attempts to stealthily stick to the trees and underbrush, being careful to not step on or in the direct route of any carnivorous looking (or otherwise mysterious) plants as he moves in the direction towards Belladona and the others in their investigation.