The Tribes of Tell Amakh (Part 1 IC)

[lostsole31]

"Anyone want to check that mass to see if what's inside is dead, vice being stored for a midnight snack?" asks Wood-Archer, now covering the bundle should something burst out.

[Stormwind]

Signalling to the others to cover her as she moves over to the bundle, Susi cautiously looks to her fox companion to see what his nose says. If Redfoot doesn't seem concerned, then she carefully slits the strands attaching the web bundle to the back wall and then proceeds to open the bundle.

Note that at the first sign of unusual movement, i.e. non-humanoid, Susi will jump backwards. (Readied action?)

[Simba]

Redfoot lets you know that the source of the spoor he found is inside the bundle. You carefully slit the strands, exposing the form of a large man inside. You cut him out and find him alive - barely so. His skin is partially covered in chitin, forming a kind of natural armor, but his face is bare and he breathes, eyes closed.

He has no equipment, but one glance at his face confirms that he must be one of the bear tribe.

[Partysan]

Danesh immediately takes out his waterskin, and steps closer to the man. he lightly slaps his cheeks and sprinkles him with water, and he will offer the poor man a drink as soon as he is conscious.
"Remarkable that he's still alive. These Bear warriors are a tough sort. He must have been in there for quite a while.
An look at his skin, it's beginning to grow armor plates. What's that?"

[MikelaC1]

ESHALYN

Perhapsss they were trying to change him into one of them, like a butterfly doesss

[Archdeacon GX]

Tarha grimaces at the disgusting sight of the poor man. "Whatever is going on, I don't like it. Let's get him out of there and back to the tribe, maybe he can tell us something."

[lostsole31]

"Agreed," grunts Wood-Archer. "If we can bring him around, we might be able to learn more."

[Simba]

You do your best to revive the fallen Bear Triber, but he seems to be in some kind of coma. Maybe with more time and good care he will come to. At least his vital signs are stable and his breathing has deepened and calmed a little. You guess you could take him out with you if you want.

Do you?

[lostsole31]

Wood-Archer says, "We should take him to the tribe and see if he can't be revived. I have a feeling there are more enemies than tribesman, so saving each one is important."

[Partysan]

"That, and he might have valuable information about what these creatures do. I agree we should take him back, I just don't know if we can end our mission here. We haven't seen anything of the den's defenses. Can we really gamble all of it on the hope that he might know enough?"

[lostsole31]

Wood-Archer says, "It's not gambling on what he knows or doesn't know. There are precious few Bear remaining. It's saving who we can when we can."

[Partysan]

"I never said we wouldn't save him. I just think we might have to hide him somewhere safe and continue exploring, then take him back later when we know what we need."

[MikelaC1]

ESHALYN

I agree with Danesssh, taking him will only ssslow usss down, we can pick him up on the way back

[Stormwind]

Susi listens to the others discussion and considers the unconscious body before her. Drawing a knife she twirls it in her fingers as she comments, "We have a problem here. We can't take him back ... at least not all the way. If you recall the bear creature, shortly after we killed it a swarm of spiders went past us headed directly for that place. They said that the 'queen' sees all that befalls her subjects. If that is indeed so, we cannot risk taking him back to the encampment. We could however take him to a site not too far from the bear tribe encampment and try to revive him and see what we can learn from him, ... one way or another."

She pauses, "However, we are not yet done with our task, that being locating the majority of their forces. Given that the spiders came from somewhere down the shaft, I am inclined to that direction, yet there will also be the greatest concentration of their forces and as we approach, the risk that we are discovered grows."

Another pause as she looks at each of her companions, "I am inclined to head back up, taking 'him' with us, for the information that we have already acquired will be of definite value to an attack. We have found a way in, and we have some idea where the bulk of their forces are although we do not know the layout and content of those forces. If this tribesman .. if he still is a tribesman ... can tell us anything ...."

Her voice trails off as she invites her companions to discuss the matter.

[Archdeacon GX]

"...Well..." Tarha looks at the man solemnly for a moment, realizing the possibility that he may already be beyond saving. "...If he is one of them, then I would like to be the one to end his misery. It is my duty as one of the Bear."

[lostsole31]

Wood-Archer looks at Tarha, "Which might be a useful service if we find out he's beyond saving."

[Partysan]

After a few moments of silence Danesh begins thinking aloud again. "Considering how short it took the spiders to pass us after we killed the bearbug, there are either patrols underways or we are much closer to the main cave than we thought. In one case, long exploration is dangerous, in the other we can easily find out what we need before we leave.
I suggest we do a quick search of the immediate area, done only by the silent scouts and accompanied by Whisper. Should you encounter any enemies you can retreat while we come to your aid and you will be faster and safer without us. In fact, I think speed is more important than stealth, considering most of these creatures will be able to smell you anyway. We will use the time to guard our friend here or maybe move him towards the exit.
If you find a great concentration of forces, than our job is done anyway, since we are just scouts. If you don't find anything for a long time or way we might need to rethink though, but we can't stand around here forever. Maybe we'll just hide our friend outside the cave and follow you.
Susi? You're the leader, what's your take on this? And Eshalyn, you'd probably be the second scout, are there objections? It's just a suggestion, but I'm uncomfortable standing around at one place for too long."

[lostsole31]

Understanding that this was the course of action to be taken, Wood-Archer relinquishes any emotion on his old argument and says, "I shall go with the deep scouts."

[Archdeacon GX]

Tarha glances around at the others briefly and nods in agreement. "It sounds solid enough to me."

[Stormwind]

As she contemplates the situation, Susi finally nods once before looking up at the others, "We need to split into two teams. The first, being the scouts, will continue down the shaft a little further and will try to gather more intelligence on the enemy forces and location. The second team, comprised of the rest of us, will take this tribesman and return up the shaft. We will wait as long as we safely can at the top of the shaft for the first team to rejoin us."

Susi pauses and her expression is deadly serious, "However, our priority is to get information back to the Bear tribe. If the situation turns bad, then that takes precedence over everything"
She says no more on the subject, but her expression speaks for itself.

[Simba]

Scout Team (Eshalyn, Wood Archer):

You go back to the shaft and climb further down. After a few meters you reach the level that might be about as high as the ground outside, in the canyon. As quietly as you can you explore the area, finding lots of caves that show long usage by the Bear Tribe as well as some more recent tracks made by the creatures that now hold the pass.

After a while you get to a crossing where a tunnel leads deeper into the mountain. Voices can be heard from that direction, one deep and resonant, one a bare whisper. You would need to get closer to understand what is being said.

Rescue Team (Susi, Tarha, Danesh and the captive bear tribesman):

You manage to get the captive triber up the shaft, then settle in to wait. All around you the tunnel system is quiet. Slowly time tickles by, second by second.

[lostsole31]

WOOD-ARCHER (Scout Team)

Wood-Archer nods to Eshalyn, knowing her to be far superior to him in stealth.