The island to the west comes nearer as the Moana Tarqona drifts on the current. Du'bing turns the rudder to angle southward, and the ship heads in the direction Marco had delineated on the map. The shoreline grows thicker with foliage the closer you come to the base of the waterfall. Other than the most oceanward dozen feet, you can't actually see more than glimpses of the body of water the falls empty into, just the mist. You start to hear the "jungle sounds".. the birds, and unknown critters that chirp and squawk, percussive and plosive phrases of frogs and mammoth insects.
On the cliff above is where you see the trees from which a suitable mast could be crafted.
In the water - clear enough to see the bottom at these depths - you see the flowing and ragged form of the coral reef, clusters of sea grasses, and spiny urchins. You hear a light scraping sound as the keel grazes the underwater landscape.
The prow of the ship turns more southeastward as you reach the outflowing current from the waterfall... and the waves further weaken as the tide recedes.
Boabdil frowns, concerned. "Think we may've drifted too close to shore. I can't see this current carrying us close enough to the reef islet."
"How are we coming along?", he asks the group crafting an interim windcatcher.
I really wish I had some time to asses my spells and recover what I've already used.
I wonder what life would be like if I was still the wizard I dimly remember myself to be in the past?
Marco stashed his pack and crossbow out of the way while he pitched in.
Climbing up to the crows nest to look down into the water, he made some calculations; Judging the current coming off of the waterfall, the sea floor, the wave action, and coupled with the tidal flows this time of year, he came to a conclusion.
"Captain!" He called down. "We need to yaw the ship so we are crosswise to the river flow! That'll get the current to carry us!" He gestured to make his point.
Captain Boabdil says nothing, but looks to Du'bing - at the wheel. First Mate Du'bing nods to Marco "Aye aye."
As the ship turns, it catches more of the current.
Once the Moana Tarqona comes within a few hundred feet, Boabdil has Du'bing straighten up "I want that island coming port side."
Just at that moment, the crewman most forward at the rail yells out "Full starboard! Drop Anchor! Reef!" His call is too late. A collision against the reef rocks the ship - it heaves, and tilts twenty degrees port side. It then levels a bit.. as it drops a couple feet with a grinding crunch.
The hull is half-skewered - wedged into jagged protruding coral - rendering the ship immobile about 120 feet from the islet.
Most of the crew goes below to checks for breaches, Boabdil turns to you with a grim look.
"Deal with this however you can... We can have two launches in the water if you need. Get Ekjori and Bill Pug back on the ship.
Kill the sea witch... and her spoils are yours alone."
Ekjori and Bill Pug are now standing and looking to you. Four unknown Mwangi men rush to the edge of the islet - three pull back one who tries to swim for your ship. Two women pale complexion, but burned red stand huddled together in the center of the islet.
The reef is difficult to see - it looks like an unmoving cloud of dark and light meringue or lava rock.. with spiky "tendrils" - all the same hue as the water itself.
Shaken from the jarring crash and the fact the ship was now damaged further,Gatherine straightened her armor and made sure she had everything upon her person--especially the new potion vials from Sito.
Twinbellows and Sneezy Dragon both loaded and ready to fire,her thunderhammer primed and cleared of blood and soot,Gatherine promptly bounced into the very first boat out.
Oi,we comin'!
Marco salutes, "Aye aye captain! Come fellowes, we need to get this done before sunset, lest they overwhelm us in the dark!" He called out to the others.
He helps lower the launches, then climbs into one.
"Aye aye captain! Come fellowes, we need to get this done before sunset, lest they overwhelm us in the dark!" He called out to the others.
Aersten readies his weapons and helps get the launches into the water. "My great-aunt Ulla always said witches are to be fought while the sun shines, or not at all. I guess now I find out if she knew what she was talking about, eh?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It takes a bit of time to get Garborn's companions into a boat. Aerys and elder dwarf Eubel scan the near waters intently - armed with bow and pilfered musket. No sign of the Shayonna's forces yet as you row to the islet. Ekjori and Bill Pug nudge the other Mwangi men back, and pull the first launch to shore as the prow comes within reach.
Ekjori offering a steady hand for those disembarking the launch. "Good good.. thank you, thank you. We row for you." He points to Bill Pug and himself. "Get people to Tarqona, den come for you? Aye?" They pull the second launch to shore. "We row, aye?"
"It may be they are licking their wounds," Said Marco, keeping a sharp eye out.
"Then again, maybe not. Let us have no unnecessary delay."
The two women on the islet are in bad shape from exhaustion, exposure, and prolonged anxiety.
The one dressed in ruined finery tells you a bit as she's helped into a boat. "Every morning we'd wake to find one more of our number missing... and food.. and fresh water laid out for those who were left."
The woman in sailor's attire adds... "We've been here eight days.. Cosey and I are all that's left from our ship. There were eleven of when the rats left us here. We lost one... he thought he'd try to swim for Devil's Arches. He was yanked under the water.. about where your ship is now. He never came up. No blood... just.. gone."
Just as the last Mwangi man plants his rump in the second boat, both launches rock - bumped from below. You see a purple mass rising from the depths and coming ashore.
Ekjori and Bill Pug start rowing frantically "We be back." while the their riders panic and shriek - seeing hundreds of tiny sea urchins swarming up around them and onto the shore.
Antonio steps to (Q,17), drawing his rapier and a dagger. He readies an attack when the swarm gets close enough.
for a possible slashing damage.
for a possible piercing damage.
I'm having a hell of a time reading the map right now (I'm on my phone and it won't expand), but if I'm reading it right, I'm going to go to R14 and swing away with my battleaxe (I think swarms will make for a bad time with a guisarme). I am not yet in a bloodrage.
Gatherine started when she realized the purple mass was actually a carpet of sea urchins.Bewildered,she raised Sneezy Dragon and fired a dragon breath cartridge into the prickly swarm.
...What in the--?! Sea hedgehogs?!
As Aersten moves to cut a swath into the center of the mass, Gatherine's blast from her dragon pistol turns a few into clumps of meat and spine.
The swarm moves further ashore... Marco's slashes and cuts have only slightly less effect than effort. Iolana as well, slashes at the swarm as they move underfoot.
1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex and reduce
movement speed by 10 feet (to a minimum of 5
feet); cure 1 save. The venom of ravenous urchin
swarms stiffens muscles and locks joints into painful configurations.
>map<
Fail.
Dex damage.
Marco grimaced as his feet are pierced by urchin spines.
He lashed out in a sweep with his rapier.
for a possible slashing and magic damage.
Then he backflipped East and North to (P,18)
Gatherine made a face at the smoldering mess her dragon pistol made of the bristling carpet of prickly sea urchins,the tang of gunpowder spoiling the smell of cooked seafood somewhat.Then again,it wasn't a good idea to try to eat something going out of its way to murder you.
Usually.
She discarded the spent alchemical cartridge and reloaded with another with a flick of her wrist and fired another gout of flame into the writhing mass of pins.
Bandolier,reload Sneezy Dragon!Dragon Breath cartridge!she commanded her magical bandolier.
All the way she made sure to tread carefully on the sand.
Gatherine cursed when the dragon pistol misfired,producing a flame that fizzled out at the end if the flared muzzle like a stale candle.She hastily performed a quick clear,discarding the smoldering clump of gunpowder onto the sands.
As you fight the swarms of urchins, those riding the boats - nearly to the ship - cry out again. Seafolk spring from the water, and attempt to snatch them from the launches... so far unsuccessfully. A fog rises from the water gradually blocking your view of the Moana Tarqona, and then the two launches.
You hear one of the women yell out "This beast! This beast has that one-eyed sailors face! That's what they do with us?! Turn us into monsters?!"
Once the fog completely surrounds your tiny islet, the swarms recede. You can see no more than thirty feet out from the shore.
"T...things t...turning from b...bad to worse?"
"What cowardice is this? We are surrounded, isolated, weakened, and you STILL cannot face us in battle? COWARDS!" Shouted Marco into the fog. He slashed his sword through the air with frustration.
There is no response to Marco's taunts. All you hear the struggles in the fog of those escaping to the ship. After several minutes you hear Boabdil shout "We lost a mwangi man, and one of the women... the rest have made it aboard!"
Iolana stares frowning at the near waters, and turns glancing to Garborn and his staff. "This won't end until we end it. We can't let this witch keep turning kidnapped victims into monsters. She may be tough, but we can wrap this up faster than slaughtering every crook with a boat who knows of her."
She points her scimitar toward the waters to the southeast. "Looks like there's a path in the reef formations underwater. I'll bet that's the way to the hag's hole."
Iolana lowers her eyes at Garborn. "Garborn. You can do this."
Her expression lends the implication that he must.
"Mmmm...I...I guess s...so...
B...but I'm...AFRAID!"
"A...are we a...all going? I c...can create ten b...bubbles of air for u...us."
Marco stood forward, sheathing his blade.
"I at least am going. I do not care to be swamped by sea urchins. So ignominious." He said. He took a glove off and watched his fingers tremor ever so slightly.
"And I am envenomed. I may not have long to live in any case. So, forward with sword in hand." He said cooly.
"l...let me g...give you the first b...bubble then."
Taping his staff timidly against the Taldan swordsman, Garborn activates it's magic.
Marco nodded solemnly to Garborn. Then he smiled and looked at his companions.
"Anyone want to come with me?"
Gatherine offered him an antidote from the satchel of potions she'd looted from Sito's corpse,tossing it to the swordsman.I'll only come if you can somehow make one of those air bubbles affect me pistol.As long as I wear my bandoleer,I can reload it magically. I can keep shootin regardless.
"Uh...i...it only covers your h...head.
You would n...need to p...pack your guns s...some other way."
With each of you given breathable air, you are able to step off the shore into the water. As soon as your heads are submerged, you can see an eight-foot wide cave.. thirty feet down the slope from the islet.
Small schools of fish pass through the crowded and twisted pillars of coral on either side of this relatively smooth ramp down into the the cave mouth.
"Oooh, wait, I...I can place a s...spare bubble o...on an object too...b...but remember...I o...only have 10 charges."
Marco shrugged out of his pack and tossed it down, followed by his crossbow.
He drew his sword and grinned at his companions.
"Shall we then?" He said, then strode into the water.
You descend into the underwater cave. The pockets of air conjured by Garborn, are surprisingly effective, and do not restrict your movement with any awkward buoyancy.
The entire twelve-foot height of the walls are comprised of coral growths - which look like dull orange cauliflower with blue/grey spiny fins that do not sway.
The entrance opens into an area fifteen foot wide.. for about thirty feet before narrowing to a ten foot wide tunnel. Same coral growths on the walls, and a couple dozen tiny urchins inch about the surface. There is a large rune carved into a four foot high pedestal in the center of the coral cave floor.. sediment swirls oddly - someone's passing recently churned it up.
Tusara floats with everyone else, but the bits of bone around the cave wall immediately attracts her eye. "Everyone be careful, something nasty just happened here", she advises, being on guard as best as a sorcerer can.
"Um...I...h...hope the spines does n...not ex...ex...extend..."
You move closer to the pedestal... the runes are on the sides of a "wedge shape" (like a piece cut from cheese wheel) on the top of the four foot tall pedestal - the thin edge of the wedge faces the direction from which you've come.
Curious, Marco approached and peered closely at the runes.
"These runes are old... very, very old." He said, running his fingers over them to make sure.
"The runes are Ancient Azlanti. They translate something like... 'Torrent' and 'Water'. Torrent of Water, Torrent and Water, Torrent to Water; or something like that. It has been a while since my language studies." He said, musing aloud.