"Oh! So glad it's you... I've been looking forward to some rest before our next hostile encounter." Mum exhales in relief and pats her chest over her heart - making it known she'd been startled, but too tired to snap to a melee-ready stance.
"Thank you, Ishirou. I hope you've had no troubles here at camp. We covered a good bit of ground... not an easy day for us, but we're all still kickin'." She smile genuinely (and genuinely proud) in his direction.
Adara willing gives up her turn with the skid for Ishirou.
"What you have here, Sir Ishirou, is in fact the very treasure you requested we locate," she says with a smile of pleasure anticipating the man's excitement.
Then the oracle calls to the other survivors in the camp.
"Jask! Aerys! We have some good news for you as well. We located the Brine Demon and found some viper nettle berries." As an afterthought, she adds, "Though not together."
Glancing at the state of their companion Hana, she then asks Aerys if she wouldn't mind sharing a dose of the viper nettle berries with the undine.
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"Really? You found it? Ishirou asks excitedly. "This is really it?" He asks again, breaking out in joyous laughter.
Equally excited by the other news you bring back to the camp Jask and Aerys greet you (at least the willing) with hugs.
"Please, come, sit. Let's get a bit of food into you" Jask says.
"Gellik! Bring those bottles of rum over you found on you walkabout today, this is cause for celebration!"
Aerys comes over, grabbing all but a couple handfuls of the viper nettle berries. "Hana, you really should have a few if you are not feeling well."
"I'm fine," says Hana in her usual clipped fashion.
From the pale skin and sweating, it's clear that she is not fine.
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"Fine? I think not my good lady." Jask says, noticing the effects of the disease ravaging Hana.
"You need to rest." the priest says, momentarily forgetting all about the documents that will grant him his freedom.
Turning the others, Jask asks, "I've seen a similar condition before, was she bitten by one of the unquiet dead? If so it is imperative that we nurse her through this, lest she join their ranks."
Overhearing the conversation Gellik interjects, "Undead? We need to get her out of here before she turns and infects the lot of us!"
Pausing a moment, the gnome continues, "Look, I know she's a 'friend' and all, but there are nine of us that still have a chance to survive this island."
Jask coldly looks as the gnome and simply states, "She not beyond our help yet, Gellik."
"Do not panic just yet, Mr. Aberwhinge," Dereje chides gent;ly, hoping to placate the gnome. "Ghoul fever can be dangerous if left unchecked, but it easy enough to treat. We are well-equipped to do so, at the moment."
"That being said, perhaps we should stay in camp for one or two days, until she recuperates."
"Fear not, I will stay away from you," says Hana.
"IF it will help relieve your worries," Lawdrak says to Gellik, then turns to Sharpmaw, pointing at the gnome. "Sharpmaw! Guard!"
Afterwards, Lawdrak will spend his time resting up, letting the last of the poison work its way from him.
It takes Lawdrak a long moment to realize that no, not everyone is compeltly comftable with a dagger-toothed carnivore doggin thier every step...
"Oh! Sorry!" Lawdrak mumbles, blushing furiously before making an oddly loud cliking noise in hsi throat and gesturing Sharpmaw back to his side.
"I'm fine," says Hana in her usual clipped fashion.
From the pale skin and sweating, it's clear that she is not fine.
Adara harrumphs. "My dear samurai, stoicism and trying to ignore the obvious does neither yourself nor any of us any good. If you are so prideful that you would put yourself at risk when we need you strong, then we would be the ones to suffer if we were to rely on the strength you claim but fall to your own stubbornness in a desperate moment." Adara draws closer and places a gentle hand on the samurai's arm.
To lessen the sting of her rebuke, Adara says more softly, "There is strength in acknowledging when one needs one's friends to help, Hana. Let us do what we can to make certain you stay among the living." She shakes her head slightly.
Adara offers healing along with Jask for any who need it, explorers or campers, and has a sip or two of rum but otherwise remains sober during any celebration that night. If the decision to remain at camp the following day goes through, she will spend it with Jask attending any who have fallen ill and studying with him regarding the chants and mantras he knows. She, of course, happily reciprocates with knowledge of her own worship of the Dawnflower. She encourages Lawdrak and Mum to join them during their exchange and study.
The following morning, (seeing as this is the first morning Adara has not been ill while at camp), everyone will witness a rather brilliant display of prayer as Adara waits for the rising sun while ankle deep in the surf, her body literally bursting into a flame as Adara strikes a pose to become a living effigy of the common pose seen on Sarenrae's statues and holy symbols.
With Gelik's fears assuaged for the time being, Dereje leaves Mizu in more capable hands and turns his attention to the treasure chest they retrieved for Ishirou.
"Hm. We can force open the lock, but the chest's contents might be fragile. A more delicate touch might be needed," he muses, visibly eager to see what lies within. "Is anyone here skilled at picking locks? If not, a crowbar might do the trick..."
Hana delicately mops her brow with a small silk kerchief. "I am simply a bit peaked. Living under these savage conditions is taxing," she says.
She frowns at the infected scratches where the ghoul tore into her. "The wound seems to be tainted. Can it be cleaned? Otherwise I will have to remove the offending limb, which will be a significant hindrance," she says.
"If we are not considering additional expeditions today then I may take the opportunity for leisure. Perhaps I can re-tune my biwa."
Hana's countenance is smooth, as if she is working hard to keep her composure.
Lawdrak, crouching beside Sharpmaw and rubbing the dino's eye ridges follows the conversation for a moment. A look of surprised revelation flits across his face for a moment, but he does his best to hide it quickly.
"Actually, Hana...I was going to ask everyone if we could delay another day. I...I'm still not quite healed up from the various poisons , yet, and I think a day's rest is preferable to using one of our potions - I'd rather save those for an urgent situation. Forgive my frailty, but could we please stay another day?"
Hana seems to consider Lawdrak's statement, then nods her head firmly. "Very well. If we are to take a day to recuperate, then it will provide the opportunity for us to formulate our next plan. I am sure that with the vigor of youth you shall be fit and hale again quickly, Lawdrak."
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Jask nods in agreement with Lawdrak.
"Yes, it would do you good to get a bit of rest and regain your strength." he says with a knowing grin.
Meanwhile, Dereje works on the chest with Ishirou. "I still can hardly believe that you all actually found the treasure." the Tien man says shaking his head in disbelief.
It takes Ishirou quite some time to do so but he does eventually manage to open the chest. Inside the chest resides: 3,500 cp, 2,000 sp, 1,000 gp, 50 pp, a silk pouch of garnets and amethysts, a half-dozen moldered and ruined noble’s outfits, a bejeweled masterwork cold iron starknife, a magical darkwood buckler, and a watertight mithral scroll tube - still containing a potent scroll.
"You all have done the lion's share of the work...but you never would have found it without the map." Ishirou says. "I would like the pouch of gems as compensation for the information...well that and the map itself. Is that arrangement agreeable to you?"
Encounter Chance 15%: - None
Base Chance 25% - Modified for camp and medic below
Jask does his best to clean and treat Hana's wounds, but any aid provided looked to be superficial at best.
Fortunately the night is relatively uneventful, save for the buzzing insects that seem to dart and dive around the samurai-ko's wounds.
(includes -1 for Con damage, +4 for nettle berries)
Hana seems, if not completely better, to at least be somewhat stable the next day. She is still a bit shaky, as is evident at breakfast, when she nearly drops her knife.
Lawdrak will memorize read magic for the camp day, before going back to detect poison for their next trip.
Dereje raises his brows. True, they had found the treasure, but all things considered, Ishirou was offering them quite the generous finder's fee. Under ordinary circumstances, the Abadaran would likely insist on a more fair deal, but given their present situation, the magical items could be of great use to them. The money... not so much.
"As far as I'm concerned, they are yours to keep," he says amenably, giving Ishirou a firm nod.
Dereje approaches Sasha, remembering her offer to show them some of her mother's techniques. It did slightly bother him to know that they were the skills of an assassin, and it did make him wonder about Sasha herself, but beggars could not exactly be choosers. Besides, it was a good way to keep him quick on his feet during an otherwise uneventful day.
During the day, Lawdrak spends some time talking to Jask. Ineveitably, the tlak turns to "shop talk", comapring the methods and techniques of casting their various divine magics. When they discuss staying focused under harsh conditions - combat, especially, Jask is good enough to share some of the Nethysian techniques - chants and thought exercises - that he learned in his seminary.
Lawdrak spends the heat of the day under a lean-to, muttering and chanting to himself, committing the exercises to memory.
Also, it looks like I got all the DC's for the magic stuff. See the spoilers above. Lawdrak does not have much use for any of the items.
Estietre approaches Aerys and smiles... "I would very much like to read your writings if I may. If known my share of writers and artists who have worked to free themselves of addiction, and they've always seemed to better navigate the highs and lows of the creative process without the vices they'd been dependent upon. I wish you much luck." She smiles again.
She settles in with the Chronicles, and tunes out the world for quite a few hours.
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The day passes by uneventfully, perhaps it could almost even be described as pleasant as the heat never really reached its normally intolerable level.
Hana spends the better part of the day resting alternating with sparing with a still very pleased Ishirou.
Adara and Lawdrak pass their time in conversation with Jask, who's demeanor certainly seems more relaxed since the party had returned with the documents that prove his innocence.
Dereje talks with Sasha concerning the best techniques around getting the jump on one's opposition. The conversation is not always the most comfortable for the paladin, but at least he is able to pick up on the rational behind the techniques, even if he doesn't fully approve of how said techniques are traditionally used.
Meanwhile Estietre spends the day lounging in a make-shift hammock, reading Aeyrs's writting as Aerys nervously stops by occasionally to see what Mum thinks of the work.
As the sun sets the gathered castaways sit down for a meal of freshly caught fish and fruits gathered from nearby.
Encounter Chance 15%: - None
Base Chance 25% - Modified for camp and medic below
You all awake in the morning more or less refreshed. Jask seems to be moving a bit gingerly, perhaps he did not sleep as comfortablly as the rest of you.
In the morning, Hana seems to be doing a little better, though still a bit off her usual tough self. She putters about the camp, trying to make herself useful, then before lunch she sits down with a knife and starts carving on a pair of sticks, eventually turning them into crude wasters (practice swords).
After lunch, when her energy is peaking, she approaches Ishirou and casually tosses one to him, expecting him to catch it.
"Show me your stance," she says, as she spreads her feet and brings her own stick up in a guard - the opening to a challenge, but also possibly an opening to camaraderie.
"I am improved," says Hana simply. "I feel we have made some progress here and recuperated. If everyone is equal to the task we should push forward and attempt to gain some notable ground, perhaps a high spot or something that stands out from the rest of this jungle."
Estietre returns Aerys's writings after having finished her chronicles...
"An excellent read, my dear. Your protagonists were truly tested. I did not see how they could rise above their obstacles, and I found myself cheering out loud when they did.. by their wits and insuppressible will. Well done. I feel invigorated!"
Soon after, she nods and throws up a fist in agreement with Hana.
"Yes! Let's move on and conquer! ... and gain the high ground!"
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The party rises early in the morning and sets out to the west. After two hours of travel, you stumble upon yet another shipwreck. It does not take much investigation at all to determine that anything of use that was aboard the Tears of Grog has either been scavenged or rotted away in years gone by.
Continuing along the northern shore of the Shiv, you find that the land mass steadily narrows as you approach the tip of the Shiv's hook-like form.
Just at the edge of sight, you see another land mass a couple of mile to the west.
Much nearer to you, still within this land mass, you see dimorphodons circling around the tip of the island. Fortunately, it appears the winged lizards have not yet taken notice of you.
"Lawdrak, should we cut through their territory or avoid them?" asks Hana.
Adara shades her eyes and looks at the landmass far of the shoreline of the western tip.
"Unless any here feels that our salvation would lie on that smaller island, I don't really see any need to disturb these creatures," the oracle says simply.
"We have found more shipwrecks to the south. Plus the island seems to widen out down there. I imagine if there are survivors or other ships that could be salvageable, they would be further south."
Making a gesture towards the western island she says, "It seems unlikely what we seek will be found on such a small place, but we can go if you all think it will bear fruit for the effort."
"I see no reason to disturb them for now. Shall we work our way to the western shore, continue on past the spot where we met the crab?"
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Choosing to leave well enough alone when it comes to the dimorphodons, the party follows along the southern shore that eventually becomes the western shore as they reach roughly the same spot in which Sharpmaw died at the vicious claws of a giant crab just as the worst of the day's heat is beginning.
Finding shelter the group waits out next few hours before continuing the journey south, along the Shiv's western shore. After roughly an hour's travel, the party stumbles across what appears to be a campsite.
You see a lone, female figure standing on the shore silently looking out into the bay.
Hana shields her eyes against the sun and says, "Another survivor?"
"Be careful! For all we know it could be another water ghoul..." Adara whispers.
"Ho there!" she calls out to the female figure. "Ienea, is that you?"
Hana says, "Careful. There's something... odd about her."
Estietre steps a little closer with spear in hand, and eyes the figure Hana had spotted...
"Hold!" Lawdrak calls after peering at the figure, "It's another victim of the Yellow Musk Creeper. Poor bugger..."
He draws his sling.
"We should lay this thing to rest. Probably burn it, lest it grow into another creeper."