A Trap Set on the Nyoka River

[Amanita Vernia]

Amanita Vernia: THE FOLLY, ALONG THE NYOKA RIVER -- Three weeks has past since they left the exchange point and over a month and a half since Silenti had been attacked, but time was grew stale when the sights along the river banks followed them like one long panoramic view repeating itself. The boat itself seemed to shrink down on a man, at least those who had never called such small quarters home. Arculeius leaned forward as he walked through the narrow hallways below. The drums had not been heard for two days now, but they knew something was out there and readied for it. Brinlar and his crew spent the last two days preparing for possible visitors. Again it was the Captain's gut they followed. So far it had been enough to get them this far. Arculeius trusted the pirate and therefore the Merchant did along with the men under hire. All seeking the same thing -- to stay alive, the thrill of adventure and if they were lucky enough to find it the Eye of Nyoka.

Brinlar Sevarii: Brinlar ignores the days that pass, while he and Renn prepare the clay pots , filling them with the pitch and oil mixture, while Mateo assists Thurnock in preparing the catapult. Finally the blasted drums have ceased, whether that is a blessing or not remains to be seen. He smiles at sheera as she also gives whatever assistance she can, piling the clay pots that will deliver the Kings fire at any adversary they encounter. Calling over to the massive carpenter " Thurnock..make sure the ropes are not rotting in this damnable humidity...we do not want to fire one salvo and have the damn ropes break. Have Mateo soap them down every day" Nothing more to be said, he returns to the tedious task of mixing the flammables, ignoring the repetitive tune Renn keeps whistling..seems nothing bothers his 1st mate.

Debauched Caper: Still settled in the prow, Venor had, at the very least, turned to watch the crew for some time now as he settled his head into the sharp juncture of those siderails, lazily wrapped in the boskhair blanket as he tried to make sense of all the work...The rigging and so-on was easily-enough figured; he'd spent time on a boat before, which was an oddity to recall. But beyond that, something seemed to be keeping all the men on-edge, a thing he'd thankfully been immune to since that morning. Still, though, it was beginning to get his consternation. Not for the irritating fact that they kept looking around every-so-often, but more the fact that, sitting there thumbing along the vivid purple scar, still too soft to pull overly-hard, he was doing no more than occupying space, and ignorantly at that.

TaSheera: ..::the drums had become like a regulating heartbeat, each thud to skin seemed to bring a pulse to flesh....and then they were gone....and going on two days now. The silence at times seemed almost deafening. A lean of her form delivered another clay pot to the pile and as she stood the back of wrist to hand was zipped across her forehead and a small puff of air delivered in offering skyward. As she turned she met Brin's gaze perhaps even thoughts collided in that brief moment...his smile was mirrored. Renn's repetetive little tune filtered thru her thoughts and grabbed her attention like it had done many times that day, funny...she found it both soothing and annoying in turn. The weight of her gaze lingered for only a few ihns before she turned back to what she was doing::..

Thurnock Scormus: ::having heard Brinlar, the sweat soaked torso of the huge carpenter glistened in the wanning light, he was putting on the final gromulets on the leather he too had soaped and readied for the catapult and was attaching it with the ropes to the two long sturdy timbers that would cradle it, he check the leavers again to make sure they were oiled and properly working as he and Mateo were conversing about the lack of drums, looking upward towards the Captain as he spoke a single nod was given as he answered:: Aye Cap'n ::then mumbled to himself as the lever seemed to hang up, making some adjustments he spoke to Mateo knowing he had heard the Captain, and as he watched him stand and walk towards the other men barking his own set of orders to them he let out a huge grunt as with the adjustment the damn thing broke.::His massive forearm lifting wiped the sweat away from his eyes as he cursed:: CHYT... ::then moved away from it to find another piece of metal to fashion:: <Mateo> ::he oversaw the various weapons being set up on deck.. springals (fire javalins), of course the catapults, and cahin-cling onagi. He knew when it was time the men would drop the masts, and store the sails below deck... stacks of hides were placed by his order in various places around the decks to be when ready to engage in battle to prevent fires from starting and or spreading, he glanced to the side seeing Sheera, then moved back to Thurnock to help him check the springing levers to make sure the aim was true::

Beast of Nyoka: |1/2 a day behind the expedition aboard the barge, Kilimanjaro|[/b][/color] It was early evening now yet Tor-tu-Gor had already sank behind the rain forest's vaulting canopy, the last aura of light gilding the tops of the trees and the clouds.The biting bugs had come out and looking for blood. Birds shrilled out their calls while other flocks whooshed up from the trees in vibrant cyclones and settled into another patch of the treeline. The night things started to wake. Only two men that were topside were not working hard at the oars, one was the Beast himself, and the other was his minion. Akira. They stood at the prow of the galley together, in silence, as if in wait of something. That something was around the next bend as the trees rolled back from the shoreline of the river enough to reveal a nestled fishing village. Trying to plant in the leached out soil of the jungles was tough work and required multiple moves because the crops would sap the last nutrients from the land and then the next growing season the new seedlings would wither away. So, most of the people in the jungles relied on the richest food source at hand. The Nyoka. Giving up the inaccuracy of the oars, several men lifted from their benches and started slipping poles into the water to leverage the barge into position. Several askari were waiting on shore for the vessel as it creeped closer to the bank, their white tufted headresses a dead giveaway. "The first 4 rows." Krakatoa instructed Akira who gave a clipped nod and pointed out the ones who scambled over the side of the ship, wading the last stretch of distance up the bank before a like amount group of men came aboard. It was in this manner that Krakatoa was able to naviagate at night at full capacity if the clouds didn't smother away the moonlight.

Amanita Vernia: With the Captain's crew working on desk, Arculeius divided his men lending half to help filling and moving the clay pots while his others remained below. The plan they had would help discourage any attacking the galley, but they would still need steam to force their way ahead. Men who had been hired steel to House Silenti were now sitting side by side learning the oars. They had hit one of the narrow points of the river with sandbars showing on either side of the shore, in shady light of post dusk they could find themselves stuck if they were not careful. Eventually the waterway would open up again into a Lake Ushindi, but that was more than another month away. Arculeius had spent the day studying these maps with the help of the merchant who could actually read them. He was on his way up to the deck with one of them under his arm leery that they were not in a vulnerable position. The ship was still a new setting for him, but the Captain's plan still held great promise. "If they attack, it will be soon.. they know where we are."

Brinlar Sevarii: Leaving Renn and sheera to direct those of Silenti with the remiander of the clay pots, Brinlar ascends the sterncastle and takes the tiller from the weary guard of Amanita he discovered had skills in navigating a ship, a smile and pat on the dark-skinned mans shoulder. " Go eat while you have time, Sebuki. I will take the helm..the river narrows up ahead" Feeling the current quicken, as it does in narows is why Brinlar releaved the man." You learn quickly, but now is time for an experienced hand to take over" Sebuki snaps a nod and salutes, teeth gleaming in his dark-skinned face "aye Captain!" Then heads to the main deck. Brinlar, meanswhile, every few ehn, glances astern, before turning his attentions upriver, squinting in the wan light of 2 of the tre moons. His sixth sense can feel the immanent dager behind them...how far behind he does not know, but..he feels it there just the same Calling down to the deck "Renn! Mateo! Go foward, port and starboard and and sounde the rivers depth...call out in turn! Once the channel deepens, I want all oars in the waters!" Without delay, both his mates jump to do his bidding, Calling down to the deck "Renn! Mateo! Go foward, port and starboard and and sounde the rivers depth...call out in turn! Once the channel deepens, I want all oars in the waters!" Without delay, both his mates jump to do his bidding, collecting lead weighted colored lines, Renn, portside and Mateo starboard, casting them out aand calling out as they strike bottom " 13 feet,Cap'n! "14 feet, Cap'n Brin!" "16 feet, Sir!" " 18 feet, Cap'n!" Nodding, as they work in tandem, Brinlar waits..once the current slows, is when he will command the rowers to their task once again.

Debauched Caper: Having sat there for some time now, observing the situation, some things were rather apparent. To start; they were building, or had built, a catapult. And further, they were looking to put on some speed. Seeing as he wasn't an engineer of anything more than strictly amateur grade, and quite frankly, not in the condition to start manning an oar, that left one thing. For him to get off his ass, tuck the blanket around his hips, and strike off across-deck's with a faint press of his palm to that sore scar, keeping well out've the brunt of the crew's way as he came up on Arculeius with a set of a hand on the giants shoulder. "You're thinking about using fire on whatever we run into?" Said with a jerk-aside of the head to the stacked jugs. "If that's the idea, you might consider that oil floats. Maybe break a few over the stern, and have a bowman fire it off?" The stuff would burn for...well, almost days really, if it was of the heavier grade. But it was a thought.

Thurnock Scormus: ::way ahead of the captain also by instinct the Keleustese legs feeling a shift in the galley knew all to well as he scanned out through one of the port holes at the bow of the ship the current had changed and probably due to the depth of the water.. not wanting to make as much noise as the pounding drum he had been using took a wooden pounding block wrapped in leather with the cushioned mallet he spoke to the oarsmen on the right to lower their oars only enough to break the surface tension of the water and edge the nose of the galley with a pull forward of their oars as the men on the left cut the water deeper guiding the ship to turn slightly portside keeping the galley in the deepest part of the shallows to make their way through, to what some would seem a monotonous drone of the beats each one made was measure as to how hard and deep they were to row, he knew too that when the order came via Mateo to him the oars would cut deep at first then less deep to urge the galley on faster::

[Meanwhile on Deck] ::Thurnock now having repaired the broken lever triggered the catapult to check it's aim, watching as he jerked the pin back from the lever as it arched upward and swung to and fro as it would when releasing the flaming oil filled barrels, satisfied with the first one, he went to check on the second and growled low to himself, cursing like the carpenter sailor he was not caring who heard him at the moment, he looked around as he stood shaking first his right leg, then his left as crouching had cut off the blood supply, then picking up the leather cradling he moved to strap it to those two supports and on with checking out the rest of it::

::Mateo had since been busy speaking with the men he had lined up as bowmen, watching each of them as they worked on their wicker shields and stacked the arrows that were made into small torch arrows, the ships bow being short was stout and maneuverable, it's rate of fire far superior to that of the crossbow would be easy to use in the tight quarters of the ship.. this was not knew to any of them, they all knew by wrote what to do and how to prepare, but hearing Brinlars order broke away and swung down through the hold to the decks below speaking quickly to the Keleustese before heading back up on deck... he scanned the shores as he walked towards Renn and leaned in speaking to him, there was something too nagging at him as he left the bow of the galley and walked back to the aft side of the ship, narrowing his eyes and blessed at the moment by the light of the moons, what there was he stayed there.. something gnawing at him to keep his gaze directed down river.. was that movement he saw just before they hit the bend in the river?

Beast of Nyoka: |On the Nyoka River, The Folley|[/b][/color] The Nyoka river was called the snake river for a reason. It slithered it's way through the jungle the way a serpent winded across the ground on it's belly. Yet here, this stretch of the tributary was relatively straight and very deep for a good distance. Enough of one that the water became a linear cooridor lined with huddling trees. Even in the growing dimness, the 3 canoes would be easy to spot. They certainly were not hiding their presence. Spread out at across the river, each canoe was parallel to the others as if they meant to hog the entire waterway. It was only the Folley's upriver progress that slowly closed the distance it and the three smaller skiffs, because the 12 men that were at the oars were smoothly backpaddling against the current. They were black with no distinctive headresses to hint at who they were. Their dark skin was not painted the ghostly whites or brilliant yellows of wartime. They weren't close enough that a volley of arrows would be able to reach them, in fact, they seemed to be just far back from the last bend in the river to be just out of range. And then the lead man in the left canoe rose up easily from the bench and waved his arms. Once and twice. Things seemed to all happen at once. From both sides of the jungle alongside the Folley, a loud cracking sound shattered the peace as if a few trees were being bent to their limits and then splintered at the root. WHOOOSHHH! The branches on two trees (one on each side of the river) shivered and shimmied from their tops to their bottoms as the heavy logs rushed for the ground. As fast as those two counter weights fell, IT ..sliced up from the waters just a few yards ahead of the Folley, sending water spray all over the deck. It was a net, dripping and still rising upwards until it reached a good 25 feet, walling off the river from shore to shore. The rope was woven vine and saturated from it's half-day lurk beneath the water's surface. A ship the size of the Folley would not be able to maneuver quite as easily, as say, a canoe, to pull alongside and slash at the net wall and making a big enough hole through the obstacle was going to be a challenge due to the height of the ship. With no time to stop the forward motion, the prow of the ship collided with the reticulated net and the net bulged out before corraling the vessel back. The trio of ropes on each side strained dangerous and one snapped in two with an audible crack. Like a bull whip. As if they already knew what to do, the black men in the canoes pulled closer and lifting bows from the bottom of the skiffs, began peppering the front of the ship with arrows if anyone drew near the net.

[Amanita Vernia]

Amanita Vernia: It was a helpless feeling hearing the movement up top and not really being able to assist in any way, it must of been the same way a drowning victim felt when lost out at sea and waiting for help to come. Clinging to a single piece of drift wood. At least one couldn't call them sitting ducks, they did as much to prepare for an attack as they could, if they actually made it through the night without any contact many of the men would be disappointed. Arculeius would be one of those men. Silenti may not of been his, but the attack on the house had been taken personally. Too many men had been lost not to wish some kind of revenge even if it was on jungle tribes allied with Krakatao. Arculeius had just heard the suggestion of Venor on breaking a few of these pots over the top of the water when the first sound from the shore was heard, the cracking of one tree and then it's brother from behind, blocking them in the center. His fist tightened as he watched, even those below heard the aching sound and knew what they had been dreading had found them. The stead strew of arrows coming from the front looked like an attack, but the lack of war paint had Arculeius confused. "They are only the first course," shouted the guard as he looked to the sides expecting a second fleet to come from the jungles, not even looking behind them yet.

Brinlar Sevarii: Growling low in his throat, seeing the canoes up ahead, the barricade that rises up from the river takes Brinlar by surprise, bringing a curse to his lips "Thassas swollen teat!" Having never encountered this on Thassa before. But.. the thudding of arrows into the ships hull galvanizes him into action. Looking starboard then to port, to each shore line, he sees no attack other than the toekn one from the canoes. Looking back over his shoulder, he sees nothing.. yet. That will change, he is certain. Turning his cool silver-grays back to the swaying, dripping barricade, his mind calculates thier delemia, and he decides on the only course of action he can think of. Finding in the dim light the taunt support lines that stem from opposite treelines, he barks out loudly "Ship oars! bowmen..return fire!" Then, he looks for Sheera and Renn " Sheera..Renn!" pointing at the lines eatending from the netting towards each shoreline " Fire arrows! Aim for them close to shore..any closer and they will not burn!" Both his woman and Renn the most skilled with the bow..Sheera able to hit a target 3 shiplentghs away in a stiff crossbreeze, Renn only slightly less skilled than TaSheera.

Debauched Caper: Blinking at the sudden crack of those logs, he gripped the railing tight as the ship hit to the netting, bending it in before those taut vines began to back them up, slowly at that...But the current, that would be making it faster with the oars out of water; that might change. Glancing aside though at the orders barked, he had to wonder something; and that something got a brow to rise as he looked to the port and starbord; those sides were clear for the time being. Which, in and of itself was a little odd...but no time to worry that; he looked to Brin and piped up rather calmly. "Vines, sir, would sap the water up; you'll have to aim pretty far inland for the dry, and I don't think your arrows will stick. This is a Thassan ship, is it not? Why not use mooring line and grapples to catch the top, and row backward with the current till the lines come low enough over the deck to cut by hand?" It was a thought at least. After-all, it was logs that held the netting up, not stone, far as he could surmise. "You could use the aft-rail as a pully for it. The bottom lines would hold it still for that, don't you think?"

TaSheera:..::she had stopped briefly for a rest and turned a glance Renn's way when the crack of logs sounded, her shoulders jerked up her neck in reflix and the snap of her gaze hit the jungle. Brin's call had her attention and she and Renn without so much as a glance to each other were moving for bows like it was a choreographed dance. When she reached the railing and sized up the distance she was listening to the debate between the men but something more was on her mind, this was a pretty elaborate display not to be following it up...each side of the boat was clear, her gaze started a slow scan of the treeline and found that wintery gaze dropping to the water and searching it's depths briefly...Renn on the other hand nodded towards Brin "Aye cap'n let's tear em down and hack thru these jungle weeds" Renn was used to the open Thassa and was feeling a might bunged up along this river::..

Thurnock Scormus: ::Thurnock showed his own suprise as he had just finished up the work on the final catapult, hearing the Captain change his orders Mateo echoed them, the bowmen quickly took up their weapons and brought up the shields in front of them, srambled to border the decks side, bows hifted, arrows knotched and let loose the canoes offering of men began to drop dead into the water Thurnock himself takeing up a bow.. hell he didn't have great aim but he too took up a shield and walked forward taking aim, Mateo called down below deck for the oarsmen to change direction::

Beast of Nyoka: | bare with me for two dice rolls here. I'll explain their meaning in the rp.|
OnlineHost: Beast of Nyoka rolled 1 8-sided die: 6
OnlineHost: Beast of Nyoka rolled 1 12-sided die: 6

Beast of Nyoka: On the Nyoka River, Attack On The Folley|[/b][/color] Thurnock had been right on the money about seeing movement behind them as much as TaSheera and Arculeius was for being suspicious about more coming from that quarter. That flash of a dark-skinned body moving with stealth through the trees had hinted at the missing fourth canoe's occupants. Two of those men had been high up on the hidden scaffolding in the trees and had been watching for the signal to hack at the ropes that kept the teetering logs in position. The others lay in wait with some similar artillary as what was aboard on the Folley. No, not a catapult, but as the Folley bucked against the fencing in of the net, four men set their shoulders to a medium sized springal and pushed it from the jungle's depths and into position. A springal is similar to a ballistas as far as being a javelin-projecting weapon but instead of using a cocking hook to hurl the spears, the springal uses a wooden arm and can fire multiple shots at once. The four men each set their strength to bear back the spring arm, grunting and straining until in unison they all released their hold at once. The bent wood arm rocketed around and slapped the butts of 8 steel-tipped javelins and they cut through the air with a hiss and a jangle. Yeah, a jangle. There was a chain of steel attached by soldering to each spear and at the end of that chain was what looked like a heavy grappling hook. The hooks themselves were not sharpened but more flattened at the tips as if they were meant to be lodged into something soft. Like the bottom of a riverbed. All this nastiness was compliments of the Black Slaver, Akira. The spears were aimed for the back of the ship not at the deck itself and six of them thunked into the wood just above the waterline. The grappling hooks immediately were swallowed up beneath the water and finding the muck underneath..started to add resistance to the back end. Up front, some of the arrows from the Folley made their way through the holes in the netting and half (6) of the arrow men in the canoes. One man took the arrow in his throat and he gurled around that wooden pike before he capsized over the side of the canoe. Something slithered from it's nocturnal rest in the silty mud of the shore and into the waters with a hypnotic sway of it's powerful tail. They returned fire as the rear man in each canoe artfully poled the skiff this way and that, never staying in one spot for too long. When two of the canoe's men were mowed down by the fire from the Folley, the remaining pair began poling upstream and away from the net. The men that had launched the javelins from the shore side behind the netted ship, also surged back from view, hauling the wooden weapon into the dark heart of the jungle.

Amanita Vernia: Arculeius may not of been the sureshot TaSheera was, but like the rest of the men on desk his steel had little reach, so he picked up a bow and began to fire. His eye wasn't on the front of the ship, but the sides. Seeing that contraption uncovered from it's resting place at the bank, he and three others began to fire on it's operators who were conveniently out of range. As the arm pulled back Arculeius and those not busy at the front of the ship could only watch on as the steel tips latched into the wood with it's heavy hooks there to slow The Folly even more. Both attacks had only been obstacles to slow the ship for what else was coming. "Carpenter!" Arculeius shouted not knowing the man well enough by name, but Brinlar had told him the man's trade besides that of pirate. He was already running towards the center of the deck where the hatch was to get to the damage from the inside of the ship. He waved his hand for the man to come with since he would be the expert on repairing and getting the spears out if at all possible. Amanita who was still below knew better than to come up for air, she could ear everything going on up on deck and her place was best kept out of the way of danger.

Brinlar Sevarii: Feeling the stern dip lower in the water as the oarsmen , arms straining to the full beat of the skins, try to drag the Folly from the vine netting, realizing as Arculeius sprints to the hatches why that is. He had heard the sound of the javelins as they were launched, as well as the thudding into the stern below and behind him. Cursing under his breath, he heads foward, snatching a grappling hook and it's coiled rope and springing to the riggings of the sail's mast, climbing like a jit monkey , he ascends 1/2way up and leans out..swinging the metal grappling hook in a tight circle then sends it flying towards the netting. Watching as it drops over the top of the netting, he slips to one side, avoiding an arrow that whistles by, then leaps from the riggings,rope in hand. Landing on the deck, he slides the rope end through the iron ring that holds the port rigging to the mast, yelling to the oarsmen "ROW" then barks at Mateo " shield and sword..once that damn thing is close enough..hack it in two!"

Debauched Caper: Rocking his jaw aside, Venor did what...well, what he'd been doing for the last few ehn'; think. Which was no small thing. So when the Guard himself jumped below decks, he leant over the aft rail and knit his brow down at the spears; they wouldn't pose a real problem, come to think of it; once the netting was cut down, the sheer force of the current with the pull of the ship would yank them out. No, those were made to keep them from going back...Which offered no small bit of thought as he leant to either palm, eyeing behind them curiously. "Captain! Cut the net on either side, or we'll just get hung-up again. Those vines are woven in a sheet, not looped over the top," he said absently; it wouldn't be a problem really; wet vines cut fairly easy in comparison to chain. But still...He rocked back from the railing, stepping back along to the catapults, with a hand rested on one's arm. "And turn one've these behind us; those anchors would've made more sense if they hit to the fore-end; snag the nets and drag our nose down." It still had him confused, but turning one at-least wouldn't be a bad idea. Even if he was a little off in his consideration of a few more canoes coming behind them, they looked light enough so that nobody's bitch too loudly. "And where's a man to find a pipe, damnit," muttered darkly to himself as he looked around them. Something was still off.

TaSheera:..::as she was watching the water Arculeius had been the first to see the men and she might be a good shot but watching his first attempt fall so short she didn't bother to notch an arrow. All these things done obviously to slow or bring them to a stop. Now it would seem that Thurnock was busy with the canoes to the front of the boat. Brin tied up with the netting and Arculeius engaged in the javelins..she turned an icy gaze over her shoulder and leveled it on Venor as he spoke about the catapults, this left one side "unattended" at the moment and it would be there she would watch....though she found her gaze swiveling on occasion to the back of the boat:..

Thurnock Scormus: ::Thurnock raced over and down below deck with Arcleius.. hitting the lower deck at a run after dropping his weapon behind him grabbed his carpentry axe as he ran by being able to see some of the hooks that had slipped through the seams of some of the timbers he began to hack away at the wood around them to loosen and be rid of them.. one done.. he saw another and so on for those seen, then guaging about where the ones that were not seen he chipped the wood away... Mateo caught the order and called it down for the oarsmen to slow their row in reverse giving Thurnock time to get those hooks and javelins out of the hull::

Beast of Nyoka: |On the Nyoka River, Attack On The Folley| [/b][/color]So, the Beast had revealed one thing tonight, thus far. That the torching of the House Silenti would not be his only act with the intention to snatch the prized journal of Shaba from the Merchant. The expedition would be well aware that he still persued because regular emissaries navigated the Nyoka river on their way to Bila Hurmuna's court so this kind of opposition was not going to be due to natives disliking whites on their turf. Oh wait, there was another thing they might deduce from all this. Krakatoa wasn't trying to kill them all and sink the Folley. Those spears could have been aimed for a more detrimental soft spot on the ship particularly where water and bailing would become a necessity. But if the ship went down, the journal went with it and the Beast refused to take chances when he was this close to his goal. As Brinlar hooked the top of the net and tied off the rope for the vessel to tug and wrestle against, the net now bowed in the opposite direction. Weighted on the bottom's edge by rocks, the vine mesh's weak point was going to be it's supporting lines, one out of four had already been snapped. The ropes did not groan against the tight draw that the ship's backing started to bear upon it. Rather like a body being stretched on the rack. The embedded javelins were not flat heads, but tri-sided so Thurnock and Acruleius' job was going to be a bitch. The grappling hooks were going to be a problem if they were not properly dealt with because they naturally spired themselves into the muck and mire of the bottom of the river and there were other lovely things that lay beneath the water such as tree limbs and rocks that the hooks would just love to become wedged in. In fact, now that the boat was going backwards the hooks skittered and rolled on the edge of their chains. Too far back and they boat might have some serious problems if those babies got entangled. At any rate there was going to be some fractured holes in the ship when the heads were worked free. A gore fest was beginning on the other side of the net as river tharlarian scented out blood in the water and converged on the bobbing bodies of the canoe men. One corpse was fought over by two of the reptilian monsters, each latching their maws to an end and when they felt resistance from the other animal, they reared their great heads and lashed back and forth. Something had to give. That would be the tendons, innards and back bone of the man that thankfully was already dead.

Amanita Vernia: Just before Arculieus dropped below he saw the Sleen of a Pirate shimmy up the mast like a Jit Monkey. He might of stayed up top to watch the man's leap if he hadn't been concerned enough about the hooks that had just been planted in the back flank of their ship. It didn't take a man of the sea to know they chain and hooks were going to be a problem once The Folly finally broke free of the netting. Arculeius worked along with Thurnock to unattach the three sided hooks, eight of them in total, that were implanted in the side of the ship. What came to a surprise and couldn't be seen from above is how high the hit had been made. Was it a miscalculation on the offensive team of jungle men who could of aimed lower and caused the Folly to take on water? Arculeius had already underestimated Krakatoa and his men once, he would not do so again, from his eyes this could only of been a way to slow them. He grunted taking up an unfamiliar tool and beating at the wood around the head until he finally got one out to the three Thurnock had pried. Four more, but at higher range. The man turned to the carpenter tapping at his own shoulder as he bent down, if they were going to get the others out they would have to rely on each other.

Brinlar Sevarii: Winding himslef as well as the woven yardarm round the mast, he ties it off then, sword in hand,, shield in the other, he waves with his sheild arm at Mateo " Cut the portside lines..I will take the starboard!" 2 steps then one leap and he is atop the bow starboard railing, hacking at the vines and the entwined support line at it's apex with his gladius, the canoes having backed up out of range of the Folly's bowmen, enabling him to attend the task of severing the cunning trap of the tarsk Krakatoa. Mateo on the opposite side grasps the heavy vines and hacks away, both trying to open a path in the nettings center. Brinlar holds confidence that Thrunock and Arculeius can free the Folly from the handicap of the enforced drag at the ships stern. A glance over his shoulder astern, seeing a flash of movement downriver behind them, he grits his teeth and barks over his shoulder "Renn! get that catapult turned around.. Har-ta!"

Debauched Caper: "Huh...Guess I was right." Perhaps the fever'd set in harder than all thought? Shaking off the interesting moment, he glanced over to Renn as the man came up, taking the arm on one side while he took the other, to tilt and bring round that amgolation of wood beams and metal brackets; it really was a nice catapult, come to think of it. Some very good work of the carpenter. But with that done, Ven made himself scarse with a step off to the now-weak defensive on the port side, nodding briefly to the woman-archer as he passed his attention to the movements on the fore'. "That net won't take long...Once it's down, he's just gotta push it over the prow. Get some speed on us..." Tch, talking to himself again; he shook it off, stepping off to take up a set-aside bow (hopefully not Renn's), and a short-barrel of those arrows, bringing himself up on the port-rail with a grimace.

TaSheera: ..::Renn was on it in an instant a nod given Venor as they began to shift the catapult into place, he gave a glance Sheera's way, he made a habit of knowing where she was in times like these...She meanwhile had her gaze roaming in steady sweep along the treeline and the back of the boat. An icy gaze settled on Venor, a light tip of her head offered in response to his silent greeting...she studied him for a long moment, almost straining to hear the low tones of his voice that he offered himself. Her attention would not remain diverted for long. She was really of no use to any of the men at the moment. but she could certainly be their eyes while they were busy::..

Thurnock Scormus: ::Thurnock turned hearing what Arculeius said, he didn't have to think twice about having help, he told him that as the galley was backing up those hooks if loosened at least for the most part might have a chance of pulling away instead of ripping the wood, then again, with the hollaring outside he had surmised that the nets were being dropped, that not bing the problem at the moment he then moved quickly back to his tools and grabbed two large hammer looking items, he threw one to Arculeius, as soon as there was the slight or what should be jerk of the galley it would be easier to slam the hammer into the tip of the spears knocking them back out they way they came in, too if needed a simple rod followed through the whole would dislodge them permanently as he spoke they both turned back to work... ::

::Mateo quickly had cut his way through the vines and had now reached the netting, he hacked his way slicing through, damn it was taking too much time then again the time space thing always seemed lost when in a hurry, he could now look down river and quickly looked back to the galley seeing the catapults spun around and the barrels lined up next to them.. the stacks of hides grabbed were wet down with buckets of water as each was laid out on the deck... a few men with torches were standing at the ready for the next command to be given, the oarsmen were slowly inching the galley backwards giving Thurnock and Arculeis hopefully enough time to get finished.. ::

Beast of Nyoka: |On the Nyoka River, The Folley|[/b][/color] The scene up front just behind the criss cross of netting was gruesome indeed. The night had gone to pitch darkness, but the explosive bellows, grunts and gnashing of the quartet of tharlarion spelled out the feeding frenzy quite clearly. The net wall was hauled up close and personal, it's dripping weave rasping and dragging over the prow of the boat. One of the tow lines nearly broke which could have been dangerous when the whiplash effect came to fruition but the hack and slash of gladius' gave the net enough give so that particular pressure valve was released. It was slow but do-able work, dealing with the net. The vines were saturated with dank water and slimey. The entire affair stank of the bottom of the river as well. Slowly, the twenty five foot monstrosity started to sag as a hole began to form in it. Chunks of severed vine slapped wetly to the deck and some fell into the river. The jungles were deathly still again and that you are being watched feeling was so ripe and thick it felt like you could wipe it off your skin as readily as you did sweat. The two canoes with the men that had signaled for the net's rise from the deep were no longer in sight and hadn't been for a while now, but of course, they were still out there. Some place. The jungle was holding it's breath again as even the natural symphony of the night animals and birds was put on pause. Waiting. Waiting. Then rising above that seemingly all-encompassing silence came the one sound the expedition had not heard for two days. The drums. They echoed off from the port of registration side (starboard) of the jungle, rumbling up from the amplifier of the trees like a primative heartbeat. It was as if the natives were mocking them by letting the crew and party aboard the Folley that they were communicating with the trailing Beast of Nyoka. Who was getting closer and closer.

[Amanita Vernia]

Amanita Vernia:The merchant had stayed tucked out of the way for the most part and with her the last Journal of Shaba remained. That was what this was all about after all, a dead man's ramblings and maps that either did or didn't lead them to a treasure. It was all a game of chance, but enough people were dying that it was no longer a playful game. Amanita heard the recking ball sound from the side of the ship and now the drums were mocking them. She couldn't stay locked up any longer. Her march towards the hatch was stopped by one thing, a puddle of water at her feet. She heard the grunting of men and followed it until she found Arculeius there with one of Brinlar's men trying to pry the thorns out of The Folly's side. None of them needed to know the Ushindi dialect that changed along with those drums, they knew the meaning without. It would of been the same to hear the scar faced Askari laughing at them. Amanita had once actually sought the man out to lead this expedition and now he was prone to be their biggest obstacle. Forget that they still had to survive the jungle and all it's natural dangerous, they would first have to get out of this mess.

Brinlar Sevarii: Hooking a leg round the bow railing, Brinlar dips upside down, sweat dripping from his face, hacking at the netting down close to the waterline. Once the last strands are severed, he flips up and off the railing to his feet, silver gray orbs flashing as those accursed drums again echo off the hull. His voice rings out as he moves with pantherlike grace towards the sterncastle, a brief touch of Sheeras arm as he passes "Oars foward..full beat!" PULL, you Schendian sleen! He reaches the tiller, casting a long look over his shoulder astern, then takes the tiller and commands again as the oarsmen grunt and strain at thier oars "ROW!"

Debauched Caper: And lurch ahead they did, he felt, as those oars hit the water and hit it hard...But what really had him off-guard, was the worried looked around him when the drums began, lifting a brow at the growl of the men and...frankly, he was just a hair confused by it all.Hm...Shrugging, he looked aside to Brin at the tiller. "Cap'n," he'd always wanted to say that! "I might be a little off in this; but...Well, there seems to be some discontent over those drums...If they're all that annoying, why don't you beat your own tune?" Lifting a brow somewhat. "I'm sure the locals won't appreciate the interference, but it'd be quite fun, don't you think?"

TaSheera: ..::her gaze followed Brin as he passed and offered that single ihn to her, she had watched him command the Quietus thru many a storm, her gaze lingered there a moment before returning to her "post" as it were...her hand dropped to the railing of temwood and slender digits curled around slowly as the ship lurched forward::..

Thurnock Scormus: ::the Keleustes heard the barked order, he echoed it now taking the drum off the post and wrapping his hands in leather he beat the drum harder and faster in a steady beat as the right hand came down the oars came up poised, as the left hand lowered the right came up, the oars lowered slicing into the water, the galley jerked forward rocking her and began moving ahead slicing through the water picking up speed... Thurnock and Arculeius had just dislodged the last of the spears and were headed back above deck, Thurnock looking over his shoulder to where the Captain was then scanned over again as the drums were heard disconcerting he blocked the sound out, no time to concern oneself with the ominous message they gave off.. he sprinted over to the opposing catapult from the one Renn was mannig, making sure it was all in organized for the order to come, his eyes narrowing he watched now behind the galley::

Beast of Nyoka: |On the Nyoka River, The Folley| [/b][/color] Drums were not the only thing that surged up from the deep thickets of the jungle. When the drums had pattered out their message with hollow rolling cadence and just after the silence swooped back back in, an erie blood chilling roar rang clear around that patch of the Nyoka River. Most likely not one person on the Folley would have heard that thundering howl before, but if they had they would immediately know that it came from the massive throat of one of the Others. A blood chilling cry because it was both sentient and bestial, all in one. It filled up the pocket of silence and let the Folley's crew know that it was not only men that hunted them. What exactly was out there in the darkness watching them? The keen eye might pick the odd siltherin movement of something big weaving back and forth between the trees coming into the sharded patches of moonlight so briefly it was impossible to actually see it enough to know what it was, but making it obvious that it wasn't human. The drums were not just a mockery but a true message because further down river that tribal thrum was picked up and mimicked, each note of it standing for a vowel or consonant sound so that a jungle-wise ear could hone the Ukungu words from their corroborating sounds. Like a baton in a relay race, this message would be pass from drummer to drummer until it reached the waiting man on the prow of the Kilimanjaro. The drums spoke to him not a half an ahn after the crew of the Folley first heard them. Unlike Akira, Krakatoa's hide wasn't decorated by tribal tattoes, nor did he wear the filaments of the askari as his man, Akubu did. He had shed that skin when he had left the employ of Shaba, much like the way a snake shook off the dermis that would keep it from growing. A faint smile came to the man when he deciphered the drum's song and a nod. That was it. Nothing unexpected had occured to make the Beast comment further.

Amanita Vernia: They were racing against time to get the planted tips out, already they could feel the galley moving forward as the resistance of the netting was broken through, but the last thing they wanted was to get the hook dragging along the bottom of the river caught up in that weighted net. The rocks anchored to the underside of the vines just below the surface would do more damage if caught. Arculeius caught sight the merchant from the corner of his eye, but kept still so Thurnock could knock out that last tri-sided tip. When it was free they would both be on their way up top again, the patche work could be done later. The drumming on the other hand could of meant another threat nearing or just more communication. "Stay close," he warned the woman knowing that she had already kept out of the way for as long as she could stomach. He was only a few steps behind Thurnock and counting heads to see if any of his men had lost.

Brinlar Sevarii: His head swivels hearing that roaring that overpowers the thudding of the jungle drums, then he looks at Venor with a gruging respect. He knew the man was no slave..and now he has impressed him further with his suggestions offered
Brinlar Sevarii: calmly while all hell broke loose around them. Seeing the massive head of Thurnock pop up from the hatchway, the ship suddenly surging foward as the grip of the forced anchors released, he grins at Venor and nods "Thurnock! Remember that cadence you used to drum when the Quietus entered a Cosian port with a prize in tow? I think it would be pleasing to hear it again..now...loudly..." Pointing to the copper drum and mallet, a shake of his head directed at Venor "an excellent sugestion, warrior...as were your previous. Feel free to offer up anymore you think of.." The breeze as the Folly moves foward once again soothing ..like any feral beast, Brinlar and his men chafe at confinement

Debauched Caper: ling, he set the bow aside with a sigh, dusting his hands idly as he looked to the captain, and smiled briefly, shrugging somewhat at the..well, praise? "Calm heads do better than hot ones. And action only goes well when thought-out. You'd be shocked at how an ehn' wasted on thought can save ahn's wasted in action, Captain. But I doubt we'll be running into another net before we hit the lake. So for now, it might just be best to talk to Ama' when you get the chance." A brow rose somewhat. "She was raised in the area since she was a child, so she may know some very interesting bits about river warfare." Glancing ahead, he squinted somewhat. "Two things though...Just how far did we come while I was laid out, and where the hell does a man find a pipe around here?"

Thurnock Scormus: ::he chucked as he heard Brinlar now knowing his thinking and moved over taking the copper drum down and bringing the mallet off the hook wrapping his huge hand on the side he slid the strap over his neck, his hand comming up coming down thrummed a beat that told of a conquest, it was played loud and strong in it's own mocking tone answering that of the "natives" - ::Mateo still standing near Renn looked along the shoreline, something moving? shadows? something big.. he squinted his eyes to try and get a better look but in the dark with the canopy of trees blocking out the moons light it was difficult to decipher if it was real or just a figment of his imagination.. slowly he moved closer to Brinlar, pausing every couple of steps to lean against the rail and try to catch another glimpse of the thing out there.. finally comming up to Brinlars side he leaned in and spoke, though not loudly he was assured the one not far from him could hear what he had so say since he was not talking over the droan of two sets of drums:: Cap'tn, there bees something out there, my gut be tellin me and it ain't good ::he knew that most times they rode their guts knowing them to be true, he looked to Brinlar and pointed in the direction he had last seen the dark movement:: Mebee there be gosts or spirits Capt'n but there bees somethin

Amanita Vernia: That sound, not the drum, but the rumble of something unhuman.. that drew the Merchant extremely close to her protector. She looked a little paler, but knew better than to think that sound was a spirit living in the jungles. Even Arculeius who'd recently learned that he had a since of humor didn't crack a smile. Dark eyes, a total of four between the merchant and her guard, looked off into the jungle. The green had faded into black now and whatever was left out there wasn't going ot show itself. They had been slowed down, but not stopped. One might of boasted that they had defeated the threat, but Arculeius wouldn't feel that relief until he saw Krakatoa's head again no longer attached to his body. Most of the men looked haggard, but with the adrenaline rush they wouldn't be off to their cots just yet. Arculeius moved to his men assigning teams so they could sleep in shifts while keeping watch from all directions also allowing Brinlar's crew the luxury of rest.

Brinlar Sevarii: Brinlar eyes Venor as he replies, then nods, no words needing to be spoken. He allows himself a smile, listening to Thurnock send the jungle players a Cosian drumline, then looks at his smallish 2nd mate and shakes his head " A jungle beast that does not appreciate the drumming either, Mateo." Brinlar's dismissal is for his crews benefit, not that he believes it himself, but..in the aftermath of they're most recent coup, it is something better discussed another time. Turning weary eyes on Amanita, he smiles wanly and comments " If this expedition continues as it has, my thirst for adventure will be fully sated, lady"

Debauched Caper: Now why did he snort at that? Well...At least it was one of humor, which easily dissolved into a light laughter as he wandered off from the railing, moving aside to Arc for a murmered little...well, request, for the man's pipe...as he recalled, he'd one seen the man puffing at one. And with a light dip aside, he murmered something further for the man's charge's benefit, before he took the pipe and fire-maker, to head up to the prow...More time to brood, really. Though he did flash an appraciative nod and shuffled dance-step for the drumming of the Carpenter, before he lit up. ("I remember you when we were younger.")

Thurnock Scormus: ::he kept the cadence of his drum beat going a steady mockery to them man above fable, he had a quirk of his own grin as his shouder shifted with his movements he watched as Mateo passed him going to the Cap'tn but not hearing the exchange, he too had something bothering him::

Amanita Vernia: The Captain handled his men's worry with the same candor that he spoke to the merchant. Making light of something that was quite the opposite. Amanita was still in close stepping with Arculeius, but she allowed a smile to brave her lips for a moment. "I am glad to know you haven't been disappointed thus far, but you'll have to drum your thanks to the man who gets the credit." She glanced over her shoulder to the back of the barge expecting they would be seeing something else come up behind them other than the morning horizon, but at least they were able to get out of the trap before it came. She turned back only to catch the exchange of a pipe before Arculeius finished dividing his men into three groups of four. What she heard next, in passing, from the man who had nearly died from infection brought no emotion from her, but still unsettled her stomach as it was digested. He was taunting her now, the same way she had done to him.... but the real question was if he remembered her promise to answer any question he asked if he didn't die. That, she would not inquire of, not tonight.

Brinlar Sevarii: Canting his head, a sigh of relief as the jungle drums no longer thrum, and he calls to the Oarmasters platform "Thurnock!" then makes a horizontal slicing motion with his hand. Taking stock of the weary oarsmen he gives them a well deserved respite he commands loudly "Ship oars!" then, leaning on the tiller as the adreniline finally drains from his muscular form, he beckons Renn to him with flip of his head " Take the tiller, let the current move the Folly for a few ahn. I will go below and will return to relieve you before 1st light" Renn, that ever present grin on his face, nods and takes the tiller, muttering " Aye, Cap'n..I kin handle 'er till ya return"

Debauched Caper: Standing at the prow, with a hip set to the railing, he just tucked the fire-maker into the waist of that...well, blanket come to think of it. Blinking, he glanced over himself, rolling the stem of that pipe over his teeth..."Well blazes..." Shaking it off, he merely wrapped a fist about the tucked-away bits, now at the least somewhat self-concious about the fact that he'd been jogging around almost naked as the jay-bird...Funny the things you tend to overlook, hm?

Thurnock Scormus: ::the drum stopped as Brinlar gave his signal, the beating of the drum and the mallet below were simultanious in their silence the oars came up and were drawn in and layed under the oarsmens benches Thurnock seeing the Captain head below deck, he knew he was going to rest, but Thurnock had things to work on first before he found sleep he prefered working at night, it was cooler and he could seem to accomplish more, he set to plugging and sealing the holes the weapons had left::