Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>1105476

Rolled 34 (1d100)

I roll to shoot at the stampeding goats

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>1105476
Pew pew

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>1105476

Calling. I forgot to say best of three so I will count >>1105537 too.

File: Timothy.jpg (84 KB, 694x1280)

84 KB JPG

>>1105476
>74

Levelling the rifle, you take aim. It should have been easy, felling a mindless beast. You can not say if it is cunning or simply bad terrain, but either way the result is the same. Weaving back and forth you find it surprisingly difficult to keep your sights on its body. You begin to tense up and unwelcome thoughts go through your mind but before panic grips you, a gunshot is heard and the other beast slumps and falls limp to the ground.

"Now!" Aryan commands you, having already discarded the rifle in favor of his sabre.

"Yes sir!" you call back and refocus on your task. You have one shot, make it count. Singh leapt out of cover and is coming towards you, but he will never reach you before your target. You hold your breath and keep the rifle perfectly still, there is no need to track when it keeps weaving back into your sights. You wait until it is only a few meters away from you, where you are sure that you can not miss. Gently squeezing the trigger you fire and your target unceremoniously fall forwards and bury its face in the dirt.

"Well done boy. You have stronger nerve than I thought," Singh says after he slit their throats. You look away at the grisly sight, an unholy amount of blood staining the ground. "Have to make sure, bullets do not always kill."

>Learning the intricacies of killing is not on top of your list of priorities so you direct your efforts to help the Major.

>Maybe it IS time you learn, and you have to admit to a certain amount of curiosity in regards to the things you just felled

>?

>>1105637
>Maybe it IS time you learn, and you have to admit to a certain amount of curiosity in regards to the things you just felled
Hunting seems like a bully pastime.

>>1105637
>Maybe it IS time you learn, and you have to admit to a certain amount of curiosity in regards to the things you just felled

>>1105637
>Maybe it IS time you learn, and you have to admit to a certain amount of curiosity in regards to the things you just felled

>>1105637
> denial plz.
Uh, icky blood and stuff.

Calling. Blood is icky, but not enough.

>>1105715
primus sanguine non sufficit

>>1105637

Gingerly stepping forward, carefully placing your feet so as to not soil your boots with blood, you approach the first corpse.

"Shot went right through and exited out of its back. It fell from the shock and pain," Singh explains. He wipes the blade clean and sheathes it before continuing, "It could have gotten up and about for some time had it woken up again."

"It looked perfectly dead to me," you protest. "It just fell right over and stopped moving."

"Never underestimate the will to live. Have you not seen the war cripples, without legs and arms?" He locks eyes with you, "How do you suppose the wounds looked like, to put them in that state?" Singh kicks over the corpse and puts a hand on your shoulder, "These things look like men but are not. This one is taller than the tallest man I have met, ran faster than the fastest scout. It is best to assume that it has more vitality than a man. Do you understand?"

You nod once, twice, without letting your eyes wander away. He is right, this beast stood tall. Its arms and legs are long with powerful muscles. Taking a single attack from this one could have easily blown your jaw right off. A shudder runs up your spine at the thought. What if you had missed, or waited a second longer?

"Aryan! Boy! Would you two please direct your attention to the living?" It seems that the major has not quite escaped his pickle. "I am rather stuck, it pains me to admit, and I could dearly use your help."

Grateful for the distraction you head over to the crevasse and only two steps later you hear a sloshing sound. You had forgotten about the blood, it better not seep through your soles... God knows your clothes and equipment has not been in pristine condition for months.

>1d100 to pry the major out of his predicament, best of three.

>What if there is another out there?

>Aryan can help him alone, something else is occupying you now (what?)

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>1d100 to pry the major out of his predicament, best of three.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>1105891
> help the major
Boy, go and get that extra large jar of lubricant from my pack, you know the one. Should get me out of here in a jiffy.

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>1105891

>>1105891
>What if there is another out there?
Do the rolls have to be linked, and shouldn't you let people vote on what we'll be doing first before rolls are made?

>>1105950
I'm not sure I understand what you mean, do you want me to call votes first and then give you a surprise roll for every decision you make?

I've only put dice where there is an immediate risk.

>>1105970
Like, we decide on what to do first before we roll for it, so that if we do get a low or high roll it won't influence or poison the rest of the votes.

10 minutes until I lock in the votes.

>>1105977
I see your point. We can definitely do that if we have enough active players, otherwise all we do is sit and wait for hours. I will opt for efficiency in this first thread so that things can move along at a decent pace.

>>1105999
Righto.

>>1105891

>What if there is another out there?

>>1105891
>33

What if there are more of them out there? The thought makes itself known and proves to be hard to shrug off. You had been fleeing for what felt like hours until the major fell and got stuck. With just enough time to prepare and catch your breath you killed the last two pursuers.

There were dozens when you first met them, but the might of gunpowder and steel proved to be more than they could handle. Half of them lay dying before they understood what was happening, and even the two behemoths that pursued you hesitated and gave you the lead you so desperately took advantage of. No, any other survivors fled the other way.

"How bad is it?" Singh asks after kneeling down and peering into the hole that Tom is so firmly lodged into.

"It is but a scratch, but my foot is twisted sideways." Tom puffs indignantly, "Bested by a hole! Ridiculous!"

"Can you move it at all, Sir?" you ask. The danger has passed, scared thoughts aside, and you need to keep him occupied by speaking so that he doesn't do anything stupid when the adrenaline wears off.

"Yes, a tiny bit. I think if you lift me up I can dislodge myself."
Without delay Singh is on the case "Lift your arms sir, I will hoist you up." He does not even have time to put his back into it before Tom shouts at him to stop. "There's a blasted piece of rock cutting into my leg! A barbed hole, why!"

"All our tools are back at camp," you say. "But I don't know where we are. It is getting late, we must have you up before sundown."

"The boy is right, sir. From what I can see there is no other way to get you out, not without dynamite." Singh appears to be deep in thought until he heaves a sigh, "Best you drink your whiskey, Tom. This will hurt a lot."

A string of curses and a display of ungentlemanly behavior later you and Singh pull him forcefully out of the crevasse and, drunken as he is, howls in pain all the while. Once his bad leg became visible you left the lifting to Singh and tried your best to get his leg away from the sharp piece of rock. Blood covered his calf and everything below, flowing with abandon to soil your hands and arms, the slippery fluid doing its best to prevent you from getting a good grip.

"The sun is setting, we must make camp," you gesture to the unconscious major "and he won't be moving anywhere any time soon."
Singh frowns before answering "It is so. His wound is cleaned and dressed with the cleanest cloth we had. It bled much worse than it is, he will walk again in a week."
You nod, "The whiskey added a bit of theatrics. I believe we will do well to never mention that part ever again."

A new day dawns and you...
>Try to find your way back to your old camp
>Look for food, Tom needs to eat and drink or he will get sick
>? (you may write in additions to the prewritten options as well)

>>1106308
> go back to camp
We already have freshly killed monster meat and some whisky.

>>1106308
>Look for food, Tom needs to eat and drink or he will get sick

>>1106308
>>Look for food, Tom needs to eat and drink or he will get sick

File: Major Tom.jpg (55 KB, 550x637)

55 KB JPG

I'm pausing the thread for today, it's getting late and I won't have time to write more.

Votes are open, will pick back up tomorrow.

>>1106308
> go back to camp

>>1106308
>>Try to find your way back to your old camp

>>1106308
>Look for food, Tom needs to eat and drink or he will get sick

>>1106308
Every time you wake up in this blasted jungle, your first thought is to throw off your clothes and soak in a hot bathtub. It is also your second and third thought and it makes you feel miserable.
In your mind, an expedition in a faraway land was an adventure, one you were all too eager to join. You thought you were going to take photographs of animals, exotic plants and ruins long since reclaimed by nature and perhaps a trophy kill or two. One never stops to think about the innumerable discomforts, such as wearing the same dirty, sweat-soaked clothes for days on end in sweltering heat.
On the topic of discomforts, you are hungry. A diet of fruits and berries is simply not for a civilized man and you definitely disagree with Major Tom's and Mr. Singh's insistence that it "builds character", what a bunch of crock. Snake meat disagreed with your stomach and despite what Alberto claims, monkey meat is not a "delicacy" nor an "acquired taste"... Meanwhile your guides are capable of chewing on absolutely anything you put in their mouth. You have personally witnessed them eat both spiders and rats and it will haunt you for the rest of your life.

"Mr. Singh, are you awake?" you ask and he replies in affirmative. "I will go and look for something we can eat, I am certain I spotted fruit where we ran through yesterday. Do you think it is possible that you can find our way back to camp from this location?"

"I believe I have a firm grasp of where we are, do not worry. If we cut west from here until noon and then take to the north-west we will find the path we were on previously." Well, that's a weight off your shoulders.

Walking carefully with knife in hand you trace your steps back. You find the fruit you noticed during your flight. It is a fist-sized green fruit resembling an apple with a soft skin and green, spongy flesh with a lot of seeds. The seeds are chewy and taste rather nice while the flesh is sweet with a smoky aftertaste. You pick them quickly filling your helmet and hurry back.
When you arrive you see that the Major is up, complaining about a hangover. "My poor head, it feels as if my eyes are about to pop out," he groans, a nod in your direction from Singh has him straigthen his back and pretend to be his good self. "Ah there you are boy, almost had me fear you had wandered and gotten lost!" You shake your head slowly and ask about his leg. "A little pain, a trifle. I can walk, do not worry," he raises an eyebrow and continues, "Just because we are in the jungle does not mean you can forget your table manners." You reflexively move to wipe your mouth, you catch yourself but evidently not fast enough as they both laugh. "You're incorrigible, boy! If you keep eating without us you will force me to discipline you," a devilish grin appears on his face, "at your father's request, of course."

[1/2]

File: Singh.jpg (214 KB, 736x1183)

214 KB JPG

>>1111142
"Of course. Now will you have your breakfast, sir? Mr. Singh? No?" you make a surprised face, "I couldn't possibly eat all of this myself, but if you insist..." you take a big bite out of a fruit and put down the helmet you carried the rest in.
"Don't get smart with me, I warn you!"

You eat and make small talk and joke as you gather what little equipment you have left. Your camera is all right, hunting knife and pistol all accounted for. The pistol is dirty and will probably not work however that is a moot point, since you have no bullets left. The same goes for the two rifles your group has, not a single bullet left. Singh has his sabre and the Major has both a hunting knife and a machete so you do not really fear for your safety, not that you relish the thought of going toe-to-toe with predators.

Your rifles being of no use the Major is using one as a makeshift crutch and you make good time on your trek west, all things considered. Singh takes point and you are borrowing the Major's machete and do your best to make a path he can follow as much as possible without requiring aid. It is difficult to tell the time down here beneath the thick canopies but your Indian comrade appear confident enough. Personally you believe it is a ways past noon when he declares that you need to change direction to north-west.

>Trust in his skill and experience

>Are we really on the right track?

>He may not say it out loud, but Tom needs rest.

>?

>(Apologies, I had a busy afternoon and I will not be able to write more today. Don't expect me tomorrow either but I will do my best to run the rest of the week, minus Saturday.)

>>1111152
>Trust in his skill and experience
>Break a badass stick off a tree, and whittle it into a walking stick for Tom.

>>1111152
>>He may not say it out loud, but Tom needs rest.

>>1111152
>He may not say it out loud, but Tom needs rest.
>Trust in his skill and experience

>>1111152
> follow the Indian.
Stiff upper lip old chap.

>>1111152
>?
Can we bash together a crude palankeen? Perhaps some clothes tied between strong branches might do.

OP?

>>1120024
Got home from work an hour ago, will write in a bit.

Sorry for the unannounced absence, sometimes things don't go as planned.

>>1111152
Both Major Tom and Singh are veteran explorers, if they take point you follow. You can't shake the feeling that you walked too far, but prior to this trip your experiences with pathfinding were park strolls and outings on your family's estate.

Your progress is slow, you are walking off the beaten path- privately you wonder if there are any paths at all. Singh cutting through the vegetation and you hack away at anything that would prove a hindrance to the Major. You move carefully, often stopping to look after the Major and to help him past the worst obstacles. You keep this up for another hour before you put your hand on Singh's shoulder.
"Mr. Singh, we need to take a break. The Major is walking more slowly by the minute- look, he's even shaking."
"So he is. We will stop here, take a rest."
Breathing a sigh of relief, you sit down. Sneaking a peek at the Major you see him lean his back on a tree and slide down, trying to hide his tiredness. Closing your eyes you wonder if there's something you can do. Sitting here is wasting daylight and you are afraid that you won't make it back to the camp today, but hurrying is not an option either. Singh takes some of the fruit you have been carrying and sits down with the Major and they share a snack.

When you open your eyes you see a dead branch and get an idea. Checking to make sure your knife is still with you, you walk over to it.
Swinging it a few times the weight feels good and you whack it against a tree trunk, happy to see that it is sturdy as well. As you're whittling the branch the Major wonders what you're doing. "I thought I'd build a palanquin for you Sir. Good wood and a lot of strong vines here. You're not walking very good, after all."
"You have a lot of nerve, boy!" he says, "A palanquin? Do I look old an infirm to you? I'll have you know these legs of mine have outrun lions."
Behind him you see a smirk from Singh. "Good idea, you and I can carry him the rest of the way" he jokes and you can see the Major bristle with indignation.
"You too, Aryan?" he throws his arms wide "What is this betrayal?"
You laugh and test the stick again, rounding off the head to make a knob for better grip and hand it over to the Major. "A walking stick for the gentleman," you say with a bow "It's better than using the rifle as a crutch."
Tom harrumphs and gets back on his feet. "Alright, stop this dillydallying, it's high time we press on."

>[1/2]

>>1120369
>Theme https://soundcloud.com/shitting-firewater/march-of-moon-wind
It would be a lie to say that you are progressing any faster but your spirits are high, your two companions whistling and keeping merry. You're not familiar with the tune so you stick to the safe option by humming along quietly.

The walk is much more enjoyable now and with Tom needing less help you have time to let your eyes wander and you take in the sights. Great trees surround you, foilage of weird and large plants taking up your entire view. Normally you don't like not being able to see the sky or the horizon but the wonders you see around you pushes any negative feelings away. Plants flowering in all sorts of colors and patterns, some small and some larger than your own head. Butterflies and insects brazenly flutter around, you come to a halt. You'll never get an opportunity like this again you tell yourself and reach for your camera.

By the time you're ready to take your picture Tom is standing next to you, "See anything interesting, Tim?"
"Everything here is interesting," you reply and your camera flashes, capturing a bright red butterfly with wings that taper off and curl themselves like a ram's horn, "don't you agree? You will never be able to see anything like this back home."
"And that is why we are here, isn't it? Seeing things no one else has and to bring back these wonders to London."
You nod in reply, "I could do without firing another rifle, though."
"Yes, but I'm sure you understand that you must protect yourself. A man's life is precious and it is his duty to protect it." He gives you a light slap on the back of your head, "Do not ever forget that. Never give it up, even if you must do something you may come to regret."
At this point Singh agrees from up ahead. "Tom is right, you can live with regret. When you are dead, not so much."

Tom wets his lips and begins to whistle another tune and again you hum along to the best of your ability and not too long after you come to a steep hill. It reaches up a great height and you should be able to see much farther from there, perhaps you can spot a landmark you recognize. You may go around it, to the west it seems to go on forever and to the east the hill gets much steeper but it curves away and out of sight.

>Up
>West
>East
>?

>>1120490
>West

>>1120490
Travel UP young man

>>1120490
>Up

Alright, we got a tie breaker. Writing.

>>1120490
"Now this is a fine jam, is it not? Whichever way we choose, we won't have time to change our minds," Tom grouses. "Aryan, what do you figure?"
"As you say Tom, the wrong choice will be a heavy burden to bear." Aryan replies stoically. "This hill is a difficult climb and both directions can go on forever."

They seem unable to make a decision and the gravity of the situation is obvious. Pick the wrong way and you can lose hours making no progress, the fruit you gathered running low and water is beginning to run out as well.
"I'll climb the hill, you two stay here and rest."
"Do you know what to look for?" Tom asks and to be honest, you don't. You say as much and you notice Singh's brows furrow slightly for a split second. That bad, is it? "Then what are you going up there for? You'll just wear yourself out."

Well, he's got a point but twiddling your thumbs here paralyzed by indecision is making you anxious. "As you said before, you can live with your regrets. I rather regret cresting this hill than walking for hours in the wrong direction."

Singh rolls his shoulders and begins to walk to the hill. "No, stay here. I'll go, I know this kind of terrain well."
He did not leave any room for arguments and started up the hill, the incline steep enough that he used the trunk of trees as footholds. Halfway up it was nearly vertical and you wonder if you had even been able to get that far yourself. Nearing the crest of the hill Singh is so far up that you can hide him from sight by holding up a thumb in front of you. For the last stretch he slithers forward and then gets up in a crouch and disappears from your view.

"His village was at the edge of a jungle, you know. I have never seen the place myself but he has told me much." You and Tom stand watch to the east and west respectively. "Indian villages aren't much to see, anyhow. They would go into the jungle to trap animals and collect forest fruit. And run from tigers," he laughs, "What I mean to say is, he will be fine."

You keep up the small talk until you are interrupted by a sharp whistle coming from the west. You look up and squint and can barely make out his shape far away, waving and beckoning for you to come. You and Tom set off more slowly than before with only one blade to force your way with.

Once you got within earshot he tells you to keep heading that way. Further ahead you find a serpentine path, naturally formed by rock outcroppings leading you up along the side of the hill. It takes a lot of effort but you are able to help the major up without any accidents but you are both exhausted by the time you make it to the top.

"I saw smoke that way," Singh gestures north "I saw it through an opening in the canopies. It is far away, likely many hours at our current pace."
Tom exhales heavily, "We can make it, can't we boy?"

>Of course, Sir.
>I'm exhausted. YOU are exhausted and injured.
>Are you certain it is our campsite? It could be natives...
>?

File: Tips Pith.jpg (42 KB, 500x375)

42 KB JPG

Sorry for the slow updates today, I'm a bit tired. It shouldn't take over an hour for a measly 3 000 characters.

I will pause here, votes remain open and I will try to be more productive tomorrow.

>>1120776
>Are you certain it is our campsite? It could be natives...

>>1120776
>>Are you certain it is our campsite? It could be natives...

>>1120776
> of course sir

>>1120776
"Of course, Sir. Still got plenty of strength left in these legs haven't we?"

Major Tom nods, "Exactly so! How about you Aryan, got some spirit left after your little adventure?"
"Just fine, Sir."
"Are you certain it is our campsite? It could be natives." You say. "I'm not keen on running from one disaster to another."
"Certain... fairly so," Singh shakes his head slightly, "It is in the right direction and at the correct distance. We should worry about if Alberto has been overrun, if we are to worry at all."
"Shouldn't have left him behind even if he insisted. If he got into trouble it is on our heads." Tom sighs.
"As a grown man he makes his own decisions. Often bad decisions... If he is all right when we return we must be firmer and overrule him more often."

The conversation ends once you had a short rest and start hiking again. You make haste until you get close to the source of the fire. Once you can smell the smoke your group crouches low and creep forward as carefully as you can. Tom is having a hard time of it, his injury making itself known with a flare of pain with each step. The sun is setting and you will not have long until night falls, already you hear the call and buzz of nocturnal insects.

How will you approach the site?
>Rest, wait until dark and try an ambush.
>Approach carefully, you don't know what waits ahead.
>Hurry, if it is your camp you can finally get supplies and a decent rest.
>?