"Variel do not undervalue your contribution. You are a fine swordsman and have some magic. Each of us have our own strengths and together we will prevail if we are united in purpose and faith."
Rain pushes away a strand of damp hair from her forehead and eyes.
"Flynn seems to make sense when he says where are these folk who have built fortifications and signals and grown fields of corn. It is mighty strange that they have not shown themselves as soon as they saw our approach and could have picked us off from the ridge. The area has been unattended and is unkempt from the age of the structures and trap. I cannot see the Grindylow climbing up this ridge when they could easily pick off any survivor on the beach or by the swamp marshes. Ratline and Sandara have been gone for a day and we still need to find fresh water and cart it back to The Man's Promise. The sooner we climb this windy trail and reach the wall, the more information I hope we will discover. Let us continue and be mindful of other traps."
As you all continue up the trail you come across one more trap that has a deer carcass in it. It is a log rigged to fall and swing across the path and spear any on it with the sharpened stubs of its many branches. The deer carcass looks at least a month old but you'd again suspect even longer maybe as much as two months old.
Its already been tripped. You can go around.
You continue to make your way up the forested trail. Switching back and forth as you ascend. Through occasional breaks in the trees you are treated to breathtaking views of the sea and island. You reach the top of the ridge about mid morning with stopping to examine the trap and the hike up. Once there the path levels out and begins a gentle curve following the line of the ridge. Coming around a bend the stockade comes into view. It is made of sharpened wooden stakes 7 feet high tied together in a vertical fashion and driven into the ground. It appears relatively well built for the crude materials but is showing obvious signs of neglect. The stockade door stands ajar, hanging from one of its hinges. A great tree, vines wrapping its broad trunk rises up in the middle of the camp and blocks the light of the sun from hitting a very small and crude log cabin. You hear bubbling and see a small spring next to the tree, water bubbling from an outcropping of rock and draining down the back side of the ridge.
Seijiro notices a spyglass on the wall and looks through it. "You should all see this - it looks like weird goblins with tentacles and one of them is wearing Sandara's hat... or at least it looks like hers." He points in the direction the spyglass is affixed to look in, then backs away from the spyglass so others can look through and confirm the sighting.
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Before reaching the enclosure...
The second trap already but this one sprung. The fact that a deer tripped it it no one came to investigate is quite alarming. Flynn is probably correct in that the inhabitants are long gone. Either they escaped off of the island or some thing tragic befell them. For their sake I hope they made it off the island, but the reality is we may never know.
This train of thinking went on for a while in Variel's head. Not tht he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, but rather he was trying to figure out the mystery of the isle. Nt coming up with any real good answers Variel's mind changes to others issues that are also pressing. Namely Plugg and Scourge and the inevitable conflict that will arise when everyone gets back. Also the problem with food supplies needs to be weighed. If there is time maybe we can go get the crabs and corn that Jack saw. There should be enough corn if the isle is deserted for us to take to ensure ourselves enough food to make landfall surely.
Calling out to the others since we are all spread out, If we find Sandara and Ratline and there is still time, should we head over and gather crab and corn to bring back to the ship. The fresh food should do something to extend our supplies until we get to wherever we are heading. That and the fresh food might make some of the others, particularly the Rahadoumi look upon us more favorably? Not that the lizard last night was bad mind you Jiro, I do thank you for the meal, but fresh crab sounds good to me. I suppose if we see any other deer while we are traveling if we take it down fresh meat would ingratiate us even further with them.
After saying this Variel retrieves his bow and strings it. Hopefully they can spot some meat while up on the ridge. If someone thinks they are a decent shot they can use my bow while we are out here. Likewise, back at the tent, if someone wants to cover people with the bow while others explore they are more than welcome to it as well.
Try this one Sko. It is just a picture instead of a shared drawing but you should be able to get the lay of the camp just the same.
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Perception check
Following Jiro's exclaim, Variel pauses to peer in the eyeglass. Although all he can see is the splash of water on the rock, Variel does not doubt the crafty sailors eyesight. Your eyes are better than mine Jiro. All I see is the spray of the ocean. If indeed it is Sandra's hat then we must proceed over there. Perhaps a quick look around first though to make sure that there is nothing else we are missing. Based on the stench of this place I do not think there are any left alive. What do you think Jiro, can you free that spyglass from the wall so we can take it with us? Who knows, with it removed from the wall and able to be directed elsewhere, we might be able to see the corn field and the rest of the island better. I doubt now that we will find any semblance of hospitable life, but who know what you may find. Perhaps a climb in the tree will give a better view yet of what is going on. I will let you know that I did not prepare my usual spell if someone falls. I did not think anyone would be climbing today. I do not think I should need it if you or Rain climb up however. It is mainly for Dhaavan that I have it readied on the ship.
Variel will start by Jiro and wait to search the lodge once the spyglass is removed. It seems that Jiro is better at searching and Variel is content to wait for him or Jack to make the inspections. Variel hasn't resigned himself to such duties, but after the tent encounter, he views himself like he should be more on guard and prepared for enemies as that is where his skills lay. Let the others who are better at those tasks do them while you tend to those areas that you are better. This way it has the best chance to succeed and keep everyone safe.
If no one does search the lodge, then Variel will enter to see if there is anything he can find relating to Shanxia.
Once all who want to look through it where it is have done so, per Variel's suggestion, Seijiro tries tries to remove the spyglass from where it is affixed to the wall. "This could come in very handy, both on and off the ship."
Once that is accomplished, he turns his attention to the small lodge and peers inside from the doorway... then backs away as he sees/smells the dead body and all the flies... "Ewww... that smells awful. I think we know what happened to the last person here at least. I think he killed himself. Maybe he went mad from loneliness?"
We should just burn this place down where it stands. Fire cleanses all.
Disgusted by both the flies and the stench of the stockade, I turn away from it.
”Gods – the flies alone are foul! Who knows what vermin are crawling around here,” I add, looking for signs of rats or crow which may be attracted to the sickly sweet smell of rotting flesh.
Disgusted by the corpse, and the potential for disease, I cinch the binding around my face a little tighter.
”Oye, chief – I’m going to go walk the perimeter a bit; see if there's anything around us,” I say somewhat nonchalantly to Rain, secretly eager to get away from the rot.
Well, luckily there’s nothing in there of note… though it looks like they had the presence to build this base by a fresh water supply. Again – shows more good planning… despite the fact that they're all dead now.
Still – wonder why the lad hanged himself? Maybe ol’ Jiro was right, and he really did go insane...
Those thoughts flicker deeply through my head; as what Jiro mentioned earlier crystallizes in my mind suddenly.
”Jiro-san!” I suddenly call out as my feet carry me around the southern wall a bit ”You said you saw more of those poxing grindy’s on the western bank just now – and one of them had Sandy’s bleeding hat!” I say quickly and intently.
Turning, I hurry back to Jiro to get the straight word, my mind racing rapidly.
”Well – what the hell are we waiting for? Hell, piss on Plugg and his poxing water rations, I say! We got the casks up by the boat – in a pinch Valeros can fill ‘em with fresh water with no trouble, once we trek back to the boat."
"But we all know that ain’t none of us came to this sodding island to get a dipper of spring water for Plugg and his cronies when all we needed to do was use magic for the job.”
”We got to get our mates back!” I say with a grim look in my eye.
”If them grindy’s are down on the beach now – and one of them’s got Sandy’s hat – that means he had Sandy – or did.”
”Let’s leg it fast, then – move up quick – and then we take ‘em and make ‘em give up the knowing on where they put our mates!”
I slip my pistol from it’s casing, holding it loosely in my hand as I move over the western side of the wall, my eyes scanning the horizon in the direction Jiro had indicated; knowing only that we had to get there fast, and then do what we could to get that information as quickly as possible.
Oh they’ll talk, that’s for damn sure! Aye, they’ll talk, and they’ll tell me whatever I need to know on what they did to my mates… and then they’ll pray to the gods that they had even more to tell me – when I’m done with them proper.
My left eyelid twitches a bit as I consider all the knowledge medicine gave me for what I would do to those that would hurt my friends. I turn quickly back to the others, bouncing on the balls of my feet impatiently.
”Well – what are we waiting for? Come on!” I say eagerly – knowing that our friends are still prisoners – or worse – and I don’t want to waste time when they could be saved.
Like Variel, Rain could only see the water sprays through the spyglass but took Jiro's word about the Grindylow as true.
"Least we know where the little scoundrels are now. Although I do not like that one of them is wearing Sandara's hat."
Drawing nearer to the small lodge and being assailed by the stench from within its walls, Rain tries her best not to gag. "Stench and filth aside, we should quickly check the interior for a clue or any items we can take back with us. Cover your mouths and noses if you enter -- try not to touch too much or breathe in the foul air. Flynn will be the first to warn against disease. It would do no good if we brought it back aboard The Man's Promise."
Barring the way inside for a moment, Rain calls out, "Can someone check to see if there are any magic wards in place or traps within? Flynn and Jiro?"
Rain takes the kerchief from her hair and ties it across her mouth and nose.
"Fire is best to kill any foulness yet if we set this building aflame, it will provide a beacon or signal to those down below -- especially the Grindylow. We cannot give ourselves away. Probably best we don't burn this place to the ground."
Dhaavan does all this as the others are looking around as well. By the time Jiro sees the grindilow with the had, dhaavan is already well about this business. for the record.
Depending on ow hard it is to access, Dhaavan would like to pop open one of the casks, lightly perfume a scarf and wrap it around his face as to ward off the stench. If the casks don't look like it would be easy to get at a dab of perfume, then with a frown, Dhaavan ties the scarf tightly round his mouth and intends to cut the man down to frisk the body.
but before then, Dhaavan says, "Oye, Variel, Sko, seein as the last folk we met here were Undead, either o' yea mind givin this fellow here a good stab or two to make sure he's dead-dead as opposed to un-dead? I really don't want the corpse I'm risking to try to eat me, yea know?"
If the body is actually dead, Dhaavan will proceed to cut him down and frisk him for valuables.
Jack on the other-hand will fly about the cabin looking for shinies then they will move to the outside, but first the cabin with the corpse.
Rain listens as Flynn gives sharp commands to the others. Then intercedes,
"Stop Flynn and think first. We need a plan of action before we go down and face the Grindylow. Aye, time is a factor if we have any chance of saving our friends. But it is foolish to rush in without a thought as to how we will undertake the rescue if they are alive."
"We're here, I'd say we had best finish checking the place over, seein as this fellow intended to defend himself here, maybe he's got something useful for defence, such as weapons? Or something worth Protecting? SO we do a quick scan, and get down there better prepared. We can back come up for water later, since magically conjured water disappears after a day, and using magic water that vanishes will get us the Cat."
”Oh, a pox on this bloody place! The lad hanged himself – out of madness or boredom – I don’t give a damn – but our friends may be dead or dying under the knife,” I say with a worried tone, my eyes scanning to the west.
”There’s nothing in there but rotten flies and that corpse twisting in the wind,” I say with an impatient wave of my hand at the filthy building ”Meantime those damn basterds are frolicking on the beach!”
I glance at Rain.
”Begging your pardon chief – but if we’re going to plan a move, I say we do it on the way. There’s maybe close to a mile till we hit the coast. How about walking and talking?”
”And hell – if we don’t have enough time to come up with a damn fine plan to deal with them…. Then we bloody improvise!” I say intently, glancing to the western cliffs leading down, eager to get going and help save the others.
While the smell is bad, it's no worse than the carrion of any other dead animal where the flies have blown maggots. Sko will follow Dhavaan's request by swinging his scythe and decapitating the corpse. This eliminates the need to cut down the body and should prove inconvinient should the body, however unlikely, happen to be undead.
Sko will leave the searching of the body to Dhavaan but he will do a quick search of the rest of the lodge and stockade.
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Since Dhaavan asked for help in the lodge, Variel will head over and take a swing at the dead body along with Sko. If he is dead then no harm, if he is 'alive' after hanging, then he needs to be destroyed.
Attack with spellstrike acid splash
It is a nice strike but Variel's heart is not in it as it is just a little poke with the cutlass and not much power is behind it.
Sko when you step close enough to swing, the body comes alive and lunges at you.
Grapple attempt
Successful. You both get your attacks off before the grapple though.
Sko you are now grappled.
Fortitude saves vs. Stench when you got within 10'.
Sko: Sickened for minutes
Variel: made check
Seijiro turns to see what's going on in the lodge. He slips the spyglass in the haversack and draws both a dagger and his rapier, just in case there's something he can do to help in the small space of the lodge, with the others already engaged.
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Seeing Sko in the arms of the creature, Variel attacks again trying to free his companion.
Spell combat with Spellstrike with acid splash and casting defensively...
Defensive casting DC: 15
Attack with acid splash
Damage
Regular attack with cutlass
Damage
This time with a clear enemy to attack, Variel attacks with more power and the blow is noticeably harder. Hs second attack is wide though as he tries to avoid hitting Sko with the follow through.
Sko gags at the sudden wave of necrotic smell. Nevertheless, he muscles out of the corpses hold and brings his scythe swinging up.
Horatio would have been on the outside of the wall, glancing at the cliffs west.
My action with Rain can't have happened, as before she could come to talk, this thing happened.
So - since it happened, and I'm on the outside of the wall... I'll have something up soon, sorry for the delay.
Hmm... Okay, given that I probably would have been standing at roughly 6:C - as soon as I hear the noise I would have moved to help my comrades by running around the walls to get to them.
I am assuming that my comrades are currently inside the little room in 3-7:F - right outside the inner room's wall? Maybe just inside of it?
At 4x run speed for movement, I think I could get to 7:G at the nearest.
So - that's my plan.
Run around to give them a hand.
And so my coordinates make sense - here you go: coordinates
Sko manages to free himself and his combined blows with Variel bring the creature down. Thankfully neither of you were injured in the sudden attack. The creature now hangs there quite still. There is a pendant hanging from the man's neck in the shape of a fist with an A engraved into it.
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Noticing nothing in particular about the lodge, Variel leaves so tht others better suited to searching will have the space needed. Turning to Sko, How are you doing there?it never got a good enough hold on yah to do any damage did it? I must say it was a good thing that Dhaavan asked us to go in and check it out first before he went in there. Why the hell is there so much undead here I can't figure out, but at least we know that our weapons can bring them down.
When the creature is subdued, Seijiro enters the lodge and notices the pendant. "Hey, I recognize that piece of jewelry - that belonged to an old mate of mine, one Arron... Arron Ivy as I recall. He was a good man, carpenter's mate aboard the Pearl when I was sailing on her. Can't imagine how he ended up here, if that's actually him."
He looks around a bit at the other stuff in the lodge, and opens the haversack for whoever wants to collect things to stash them inside. No need to carry a lot of small items loose in hand when the sack will hold them all.
Half to himself, he asks, "Wonder what happened to the pearl if Arron ended up here alone." He scowls as he tries to place the two dead female ghouls but he can't recall either of them from his days on the Pearl.
Rain stares at the picture of the woman inside the locket and recollects one of the ghouls who resembled her ...
"What happened to these people to turn them into Undead creatures...?" she muses outwardly to no one in particular, closing the locket and placing it with the other few items they had discovered.
Jiro had known the male -- the Undead one ended by Sko and Variel. "How long ago were you on the Pearl, Jiro?" Rain wondered at how long the man had been on this island ... trying to piece it together with only a very few details.
"It's been a good four months or so since I served aboard the Mermaid's Pearl... and I have been cursing the fate that left me in Port Peril when the Pearl sailed. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all, if I might have ended up like ol' Arron here. I had good mates on the Pearl, I hope the rest are alright."
Rain silently considers what could have turned these people into Undead ...
"So the Pearl left Port Peril months ago ... and the signal fire and the trap are months old according to Flynn's observations. Plus, the overgrown, unattended corn crop..." Rain continues to speak softly to herself, tapping her finger against her mouth.
Then remembering her manners, Rain turns to Jiro, "I am sorry for your friend's death and the perversion which befell him. I hope your other mates did not meet such a fate, gods' willing."
Seijiro shrugs and manages a weak smile, though it's obvious his heart isn't behind the smile. "Bad joss, that it is. Thanks for caring, Rain-san."
"Question is, what do we do first? Go try to rescue Sandara and Ratline, or get water? Seems to me if we didn't carry the casks with us, we might as well see about rescuing our mates since we've already come this far, but it's your call." He looks to Rain for her decision while gently removing the pendant from around Arron's neck. "Sorry mate, but you've no need for it now... I'll keep it safe for ya."
Unlike the rest of the treasure which goes randomly into the haversack, he carefully places the pendant into one of the side pockets.
I see Jiro put the pendent in his pocket and say somewhat compassionately, but also with some eagerness to get out of the shed and go down to deal with the creatures on the beach -
"No worries, Jiro-san pendent's yours - don't worry about it; no one's going to try to take a cut of that if he was your mate."
I hope Jiro realizes that I'm sincere. If the pendent really belong's to an old drinking buddy and has some sentimental value to him - I'm not going to press him for my "part" of it's value. As far as I'm concerned - that's his alone.
Still eager to get moving, I give the pile a quick "once over" via "Detect Magic", just to make sure there's nothing useful about what we found.
"Right - so... anyway - we got this taken care - are we able to go down to the beach now and deal with what's there?" I ask the group.
Rain watches as Jiro removes the pendant from his friend's neck and places it in the side pocket of the haversack. She has no problem with this considerate gesture.
"Once we are done here, we will move back down to the cove where you spotted the Grindylow swimming. It is time we found Ratline and Sandara. Once we finish the task, we will retrieve the casks and haul them back up the ridge and fill them. I would not see any of my mates whipped by Scourge's Cat."
"Rain-san, it's time we talked of Scourge and Plugg.. perhaps on our way down to the beach we can at least discuss it. I'd just as soon see them taken out of a position to whip anyone when we return to the Man's Promise. I think maybe with our allies on board, we can take on Plugg and his toadies... maybe. It might be worth a try. We can maybe surprise them at the least, and have an initial advantage."
"Biggest issue I can see is knowing which way the Rahadoum conscripts will jump when the time comes. Perhaps, if we're lucky, they'll opt to stay out of it completely - that would even up the odds some. If they choose to help us, that's even better, but it seems we have a two out of three chance that they won't help Plugg, given three different options to choose from."
Seijiro shrugs, and then smiles. With magic on our side, and luck perhaps too, we might be able to take them, and then do something creative with the Man's Promise ourselves. She's not fast, but she's a ship and she'd be ours."
As she walks, Rain listens to Jiro and adds, "Niceties have not worked with the Rahadoumi. We must find a way to sway them to our side once and for all. I would see Plugg and Scourge brought to their heels and the sooner the better. They will murder us when we are no longer necessary. I will not let that happen. They will be judged by us and we shall cast sentence upon them, in the gods' name. A surprise assault is wise. To have the advantage will go a long way to securing The Man's Promise as our own."
Addressing Flynn, "Flynn, what can we do to bring the Rahadoumi on side? Dhaavan's sweet words have done naught. There must be something else we can do or offer them. Anyone have some ideas? I am willing to hear them now."
Seijiro bites his lip and lowers his head while he thinks. Maybe now is the time, I could tell them I can masquerade as one of the toadies and try to get to the Rahadoumi that way... but I haven't the skill with words that Dhaavan has... so my ability to sway them would be limited. Oooh, I wish I knew what to do. Finally, he makes his decision...
"Rain-san, I... I could maybe get close to one of them and try to talk to him, or her while working. I know they won't talk to us... but they might be willing to talk to one of Plugg's toadies." He pauses a long moment and looks at Rain, biting his lip, speaking softly. "Don't be mad, please, and I know I should have told all of you before this, but I'm... well... I'm not human. I know I look human, but I can do that. But I can look like anyone I want, even one of Plugg's actual followers. Maybe if one of the Rahadoumi thinks I'm okay to talk to, he'd listen to me. Only problem with that is, I'm not real persuasive like Dhaavan is. Also, we might lose the element of surprise if we don't attack the minute we get back to the ship." When he's done talking, he bites his lips and winces, waiting for the others' responses.
Seijiro alternately flushes and blanches while he waits for a response from the others...
Well, it's out there now, they know you're not human, but you haven't exactly said what you ARE either. They probably should know. But what would they know? Kitsune probably means nothing to them, there's few if any kitsune in the west. Although Flynn, I'm sure, will claim to have known of what you are.
Rain looks upon the red-haired youth for a while, digesting the information that he is not human. Now this is an interesting turnaround ..., she thinks to herself.
In discreet voice,
"I am not mad, Jiro. A person is entitled to their privacy and you obviously had your reasons for not disclosing your true form. If I may ask, what is your true form? If you do not want to tell me, I will not push the issue. But I am curious, and, it is probably prudent to know for it may aid us in what lies ahead and the mission before us."
As she waits for Jiro to answer or decline, Rain pushes forward in the conversation.
"If you can disguise yourself as one of Plugg's underlings, you may not need to possess Dhaavan's way with words. None of Plugg's people seem to have the ability and simply exert control through menace and threats. If you can be somewhat pleasing to the Rahadoumi, it may still work, Jiro. How long does this transformation last? I would not have you endangering yourself if time is limited."
Then a thought comes swiftly, "What if Dhaavan pretended to be in with Plugg's toadies? In that, the transformed you and Dhaavan worked on influencing the Rahadoumi together? But who would you turn into? Scourge seems to hold the next level of power onboard The Man's Promise. Or are you thinking one of the lesser toadies?"