30 December …
Major Higgins, Lieutenant Landowski and four escort troops headed to Camp Trafalgar this morning aboard our dirigible (dubbed the Orca), piloted by our only Republic Navy representative Seaman 1st Johansson. As they lifted off from the camp, I could have sworn Johansson let out a yell, but I could have mistaken it for engine noise or the bag creaking as it rose under the strain of the passengers. I just hope one of those huge flying reptiles does not decide to attack the Orca. Or at least, if the pteros do attack, that a few rifle bullets will drive them off before they can seriously damage the bag. If all goes well, the Orca should arrive at Camp Trafalgar by tomorrow morning.
Today, we survived an attack from some truly strange creatures near the site of the temple. Plants that walked like men on two legs and attacked with grasping tendrils of viny growths! The black leg escorts were somewhat stunned, as the things have a mouth that opens to reveal a yellow looking flower and emits a deafening screech. Lady V let out a bark when the creatures were about thirty feet away - luckily, she and I had accompanied the squad on an observation walk, or the black legs would have been completely surprised by the ambush.
Major Higgins, Lieutenant Landowski and four escort troops headed to Camp Trafalgar this morning aboard our dirigible (dubbed the Orca), piloted by our only Republic Navy representative Seaman 1st Johansson. As they lifted off from the camp, I could have sworn Johansson let out a yell, but I could have mistaken it for engine noise or the bag creaking as it rose under the strain of the passengers. I just hope one of those huge flying reptiles does not decide to attack the Orca. Or at least, if the pteros do attack, that a few rifle bullets will drive them off before they can seriously damage the bag. If all goes well, the Orca should arrive at Camp Trafalgar by tomorrow morning.
Today, we survived an attack from some truly strange creatures near the site of the temple. Plants that walked like men on two legs and attacked with grasping tendrils of viny growths! The black leg escorts were somewhat stunned, as the things have a mouth that opens to reveal a yellow looking flower and emits a deafening screech. Lady V let out a bark when the creatures were about thirty feet away - luckily, she and I had accompanied the squad on an observation walk, or the black legs would have been completely surprised by the ambush.
When I turned, I saw six or seven plant people springing from the undergrowth along the path. They screeched in an unholy high pitch as they leapt at us, injuring one of the men as they came. We fired at the creatures with our Martini-Henry rifles, dropping three of them, as the others fled into the rainforest. Within seconds, they were gone without a trace of thier passage through the thick undergrowth. Private Douglass was injured in the shoulder by a javelin made of a thin, three-foot long reed with a crudely sharpened tip. Another man was injured when he collapsed, striking his head on a boulder, stunned from the noise of the plant men's shrieks. I guess the tablets from the temple were more than just a fairy tale. One of the specimens was carried back with the squad and Drs. Caruthers and Palmer were upset they were unable to dig at the sight today.
Doc Armstrong and Herbalist Dempsey treated the injured and also began to study the plant creature. The specimen is about five feet tall, green, thin and has a pod shaped head that splits along its entire length into three valves. They have three opposable fingers and the feet have no digits as they are a single three jointed flat foot. We have no idea how they sense prey, as there are no obvious eye structures. They are definitely hard to spot as their natural camouflage is uncanny. They can easily ambush any patrol we send out and I am thankful we had Lady V today, as she was able to spot them before they attacked. I have no doubt the casualties would have been more serious if the ambush was not spotted. We will send a messenger hawk to Camp Trafalgar tomorrow with a brief report.
Doc Armstrong and Herbalist Dempsey treated the injured and also began to study the plant creature. The specimen is about five feet tall, green, thin and has a pod shaped head that splits along its entire length into three valves. They have three opposable fingers and the feet have no digits as they are a single three jointed flat foot. We have no idea how they sense prey, as there are no obvious eye structures. They are definitely hard to spot as their natural camouflage is uncanny. They can easily ambush any patrol we send out and I am thankful we had Lady V today, as she was able to spot them before they attacked. I have no doubt the casualties would have been more serious if the ambush was not spotted. We will send a messenger hawk to Camp Trafalgar tomorrow with a brief report.
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