When Thren can move again, she comes back to life slowly. "That...hurt," the tiefling moans as she checks her wounds. "And I really don't feel so good being used as an undead snack." She looks around at the items with little interest until she notices the ring of swimming while looking over the outfits in the chest. "Well, this at least is likely worth the trip. Not to mention a good reason for how someone got here."
Looking over the journal, she groans. "You mean there's something else out here too? Wonderful."
"Interesting," says Lee, holding up the ring. "That should keep whoever wears it from drowning."
"So, it looks like there's some stuff here..."
When a look comes over his face.
"Holy Hell! There's movement at the base of the cliff!" And with that, Lee runs out of the hut and heads for the tree Muffin is in.
Rosie nods at Threnody. "You're tellin' me!" she rubs her mostly healed shoulder where the ghoul had begun to chew on her. "By Aroden's maggoty schlong, I never felt anythin' worse'n being gnawed on and not able to move. Don't know about you, Thren, but I don't think I'm gonna sleep for a week!"
"I'm always impressed, Rosie, to hear how well you live up to your name," Lark says with grin.
While speaking Lark fishes in his bag and extracts a potion (cure moderate wounds). He hold it out to Threnody. "You said you're out of healing magic and that was a rough mauling you took."
"Well, shall we go see what's got Lee so excited?" Lark asks as he starts out after Lee.
Thren shakes her head. "I'll drink mine. Save that for later."
"Lark, what do you think the journal entry meant about a fever?" Thren asks, worried, as she follows Lee.
Once at the tree, Lee will attempt to climb it...
...and up he goes.
As they walk to the tree Lark replies to Threnody, "It sounds like it's part of whatever turned those sailors into monsters. I guess we need to watch each other for signs of fever. If we're in danger from it then I hope Quinn can purge it once we find her." Glancing back to the hut Lark says, "We should read the rest of that journal if we can find the time."
Lee climbs the tree, where Muffin has settled in quite comfortably in a few branches above the lookout spot where the spyglass is placed.
Peeking into the spyglass, he sees that the telescope was aimed to watch a cove down the cliffs to the south. He can't see the cove, per se, but the curve of the coast and the flow of the water there indicates the water flows into some kind of partially covered sea cave or hideaway.
Frequently moving in and out of view are the same creatures you fought the night of the storm, the ones Threnody identified as grindylows: oddly goblinesque creatures with octopus-like tentacles. He can just make out they are wielding spears and perhaps moving in and out in some kind of ramshackle watch patrol.
"If checking to see if any of us are burning up is how we make sure none of us end up like those poor sods, I'm all for it!" Thren says fervently, idly rubbing her shoulder where the ghast bit her. The tiefling looks up into the canopy of the tree. "See anything up there Lee?"
Lee looks through the spyglass...
...but seems to have trouble with focusing or aiming or something.
"There is a very nice spyglass up here. It's aimed at a cove or inlet or something. And grindylows. Or is the plural of 'grindylow' 'grindylow'? Or 'grindyli'? Anyway, why doesn't someone who knows something about fighting and tactics come up here and check out the grindylows? See if we even want or need to confront them? There's a nice spyglass that I'll leave up here for anyone who can use it."
And with that, Lee climbs down, leaving the spyglass behind.
Lee heads back to the hut, "I'll look around the residence while you guys recon."
"Grindyli is the most fun to say, so that gets my vote."
After Lee comes down Lark will ascend and take his turn at the 'glass.
"I'm getting the same read as Lee. Thren, you wanna take a shot?"
"We also need to decide if we rest here for the night or head back out and keep searching. I'm worried about our friends, but securing that gate and getting some sleep might give us a better chance against those grindyli."
Muffin mews at Lee.
As Thren rubs her shoulder, she notices some of the flesh is oddly pale instead of pink like new-healed flesh ought to be.
"Sure, coming up."
The tiefling ascends and peers through the spyglass. "I'm seeing the same thing as you two."
"I think securing the place for the night is a good idea. We're all a bit beat. And don't forget that while we want to find Cog and Sandara, we need to make sure we get supplies too." She frowns, the shoulder still bothering her. "Lark, when you get a minute, can you take a look at my shoulder? Something's not right."
As Thren talks of supplies, Rosie points at the spring bubbling up near the tree. "There's our fresh water source. We can refill our waterskins now at least. It'd take time to drag barrels up here, but maybe if we tell the ship we can set up some kinda pulley system."
She frowns in concern. "You'll... you'll be alright, I'm sure, Thren."
Responding to Threnody’s request Lark says, ”Yeah, Thren, I definitely want look at that wound, and Rosie, yours too.”
Lark looks around the enclosure, ”If there’s time, I’d like to look at that journal first, see if there’s more details about that fever. How would y’all feel about wedging the gate closed while I do that? Then we’ll setup bedrolls, maybe under that tree. I’ll break out my healer’s kit and get everyone patched up.”
Lark explains to the group what he wants to accomplish (while still allowing everyone to get a full night’s rest): secure the gate, skim the journal, examine\treat Threnody, Rosie, himself and Lee. Lark will ask everyone what they think of this plan and what they want to do as well or instead. If time becomes a factor Lark suggest that his priorities are the gate and examining Thren and Rosie.
"Quinn and Cog are still out there and drug off by grindyli. We've found grindyli, so we should probably give them a look before calling it a night. We don't need to be real close, and certainly don't want a needless fight with them, now that we found that spyglass, but I want to be close enough to see, or not see, drag marks or maybe see the human-sized or fish-sized cook-fires before we just give up."
Lee thinks.
"Maybe check & heal wounds (of which I have none), scout, secure the compound, etc? I just hate to think that we are failing to help our friends because we got sidetracked."
"Let's go ahead and hole up for the night. We don't need to get close to the grindyli, you're right, but let's face it. With our luck, we'll try to scout them out and get ambushed by a giant clam or something. We're wounded and not at our best. Pushing on means the next fight could leave us all as crab food. We can't help our friends that way. I don't like it, but that's the way I see it."
Thren and Rosie shut the gate, using some of the spears from the hut to bar the door.
Lee goes to the hut to collect the goods they found and consider scouting options, while Lark picks up the journal and skims through it to get more information about ghoul fever.
Skimming through the rest of the journal, you piece together Ivy’s story as relevant to your current situation and how he and others got here:
He booked passage on the Infernus, a Chelish naval scouting ship. He merely wanted passage to Motaku Island to broker some trade agreements in the town of Lilywhite. Two other nobles also booked passage on the ship. One, he noted, was an agent of House Thrune and, Ivy guessed, was surveying opportunities related to Cheliax’s ambitions of conquering the Shackles. Ivy only ever refers to this person as “the agent.” The other noble passenger was Alstana, a member of House Leroung, who was traveling while performing necromantic research. She insisted upon bringing with her a pair of ghouls in cages she was using as “part of her research.” The ghouls were well manacled and caged, but Ivy was nervous about their presence from day one--but the captain would not refuse the sizable sum Alstana paid to keep them secured in the cargo hold. The other occupants of the ship included the crew, courtesans kept by the officers and Thrune agent, Alstana’s personal halfling slaves (a pair of them), and a few slaves to be sold being transported in the cargo hold.
Several months ago, the ship was caught in a storm. Not only did the Infernus crash on the reef, but the ghouls also escaped through a hole in the ship’s hull. Both the ghouls and the surviving crew made it to shore, whereupon the undead creatures attacked the wearied travelers. While the Chelish eventually killed the original ghouls, several of them were bitten and contracted a fever that, when it eventually killed them, caused them to turn into ghouls themselves by the midnight following their death. The new ghouls continued to hunt the surviving crew, and a cycle of ghouls hunting humanoids and then bitten humanoids becoming ghouls commenced. Alstana was one of the first of the victims, killed and devoured, which Ivy considered justice.
Ivy theorized some of the island’s mosquitoes also picked up the disease and helped transfer it to survivors, making matters even worse.
Complicating things even further was Ivy’s discovery of the island’s other inhabitants: grindylows, matching the description of the creatures you fought on deck and who likely captured Cog and Sandara. He describes them as not especially tough individually, but dangerous with their tangling tentacles, perpetually hungry, and extraordinarily able swimmers. He observed they were immune to ghoul fever and while smaller groups would avoid the ghouls, who were stronger than they and could kill them, the grindylows would hunt the ghouls in larger parties. Ivy theorized the grindylows enjoyed their crunchy bones. The grindylows were no allies however: the vicious, sadistic creatures also enjoyed eating living human flesh. They captured one of his comrades and he watched, from his spyglass atop the ridge, as the grindylows tortured and gnawed upon their captive for a long time before allowing their victim to die.
The grindylows then tied the humanoid remains to create the skeletal totems all over the island. Some of these “shepherds,” Ivy noted, were already there when they arrived on the island, and he guessed the grindylows must have destroyed the original fishing village located on the north side of the island long ago.
Ivy and the few other survivors remaining had to time their movements to ensure they avoided the ghouls--who usually hunted at night--and the grindylows, who fortunately stuck to the coastal edges of the island. They worked on building a safehouse on the ridge, a distress beacon on the cliff, and even tried to use some of the ship’s food supplies to plant a field to sustain themselves, but--Ivy worried--the only farmable land was below the cliffs, open to attack from ghouls and grindylows alike.
Ivy believed the grindylows lair in a sea-cave he named “Riptide Cove” on the south side of the island, as he observed them through his spyglass in that area many times, sometimes dragging a captive crewmember or other creature alive into the cave. This was not too far from the where the Infernus wrecked, and he and two other survivors had to work carefully in trying to plunder the crashed ship. They only obtained some of the goods and furniture when they had to depart before they were attacked by the monsters. They got what they could up to the stockade they were building, but meanwhile, the grindylows followed them and destroyed their jolly boat. He lamented there are probably still goods that remain that they could have used, but even if they manage to find a way out to it safely, most of it is likely destroyed by the saltwater as the ship sinks more and more.
As of a month ago, Ivy found himself the last living humanoid standing, his other final two comrades having succumbed to ghoul fever. He was bitten about a week later.
By the time preliminary set up has been made, the sun is beginning to set.
Lark will relate what he learned from the journal to the group.
"The sickness was slow-acting, but many of them weren't able to shake it off and eventually succumbed. The worse news is that this fellow thinks it may have become mosquito-borne as well. It's possible that any of us could contract it any time." Lark pulls out his healer's kit and begins unpacking it. "There's only a little I can do, but at least it's quick."
While treating Threnody Lark will continue to discuss the contents of journal. "As we might have guessed there's a large group of Grindyli, probably based in a cave near the shore. Quinn and Cog aren't having a good time, but it sounds like these nasty beasts like to go slow with captives. They're both strong, I have faith that Besmara will help see them through the night and give us a chance at a rescue and revenge."
Lark will describe some of what Ivy saw of the Grindyli and talk about the remains of the Chelish ship. "Hopefully some scouting will show if the four of us will be enough. If not we might think about luring some help from the Man's Promise. Between the cave and the sunken ship there might be enough loot to get them to help. We could even try lighting that signal fire."
Rosie listens to Lark and shakes her head. "Plugg sent us out for supplies, not to organize a rescue. If we don't signal them without food and water, Plugg'll have our hides, no matter the loot promised. And Scourge f%!$ing HATES Sandara ever since she spurned him. I've been worried every night we've been in the officers quarters he'd try to attack her. There's no way in the hells they'd help her."
She reflexively covers her arms. "And what was that you said about mosquitoes? What do we do about that?"
"I don't know how we could get rid of mosquitos out here. We used to burn incense to keep them away." Thren raises her eyebrows almost through her horns at Rosie's comments regarding Scourge and Sandara. "THAT'S why he hates her?" The bard exclaims. "Not even smart enough to try to get in a little with her by helping her when she needs it. Another man who thinks women are here for their use. Pitiful."
"He don't wanna 'get in,' he just wanted to bang her." She grins wickedly. "She told him if he ever touched her, Besmara would turn his balls into an anchor and drag him to the bottom of the sea."
"I knew what you meant. Just...he's an idiot." Thren shrugs, then winces as her shoulder aches.
Lee will think back to his time spent poring over Freddie Farmhand's Taldor Cooking School Cookbook. A lot of times, instruction manuals that are meant to emphasize rustic homeyness will have asides, like how to remove stains or odors in the rustic, homey manner our forefathers used.
Was there anything in the holy FFTCSC about "pest control"? Or maybe "herbs" and "pest control"?
Because it mentioned a secondary use for a cat entertainment, Lee remembers reading catnip, mint, and other mint-related herbs repel insects and vermin for a time, making them useful both for flavoring and food storage. There is a small chance some might be in Ivy's cooking kit.
Lee goes to look at the cooking kit in the hut, which is stored near the bed covered in mosquito netting, and he thinks, gee, it would be easier to sit on the bed and look through this cooking kit if all this mosquito netting wasn't in the way. If only he could move the easily removed mosquito netting and do something else with it. The more he thinks about it, he feels like he's missing something really obvious.
"Crazy thought, but we could probably use this netting to keep mosquitos away from us. At least here in the hut.
Lee considers the netting.
"Do we cover the doors and windows or do we just huddle under?"
While letting the others ponder the net question, Lee looks for insect repelling herbs
Lee finds a small amount of mint in the cooking kit. It might be enough to create an infusion that, when mixed with oil (there is also cooking oil in the kit), that would cover one person's body and protect them from insects for about an hour. Muffin bats at the pouch of mint; it is not true catnip but is a close enough relative he finds the scent intriguing.
The rest of the party figures that the netting is currently set up to protect anyone who sleeps in the bed from mosquitoes. While it might not be comfortable, you realize sleeping in the hut will also protect you from other predators on the island, and you decide to put your bedrolls over the slightly moldy mattress and crowd onto it. It is large enough you can at least all just fit on. While crowded, you are at least protected from insectoid invaders and get a safe, decent night's sleep.
All of you awaken feeling better for having rested (), except Threnody, who feels shaky and ravenous.
The party has yet to pack up anything the wish to take from the hut or the spyglass. The only way down is the way they came, and the only foot path they have not yet taken is toward the field (which would also lead southward roughly in the direction of the cove). Their boat (hopefully) still remains tied up at the coconut palm beach.
Lee decides against ruining the last of the mint of an hour of protection.
After enjoying the sleep of the just (or at least of the exhausted) Lark tries again to help Thren shake off the ghastly fever.
Using medicinal herbs from his healer's kit (), Lark manages to put together an infusion that hopefully bolsters Threnody's defenses.
The tiefling seems a bit more tired than expected, but her shoulder is doing a bit better thanks to Lark and Lee's efforts. "Keep it up, I'm not feeling my best but better than I could. Now, what's for breakfast? I could eat that entire crab right now. If the other crabs hadn't eaten it already."
Thren looks over the various and sundry items in the hut. "Is there any way to take that netting with us, just in case? It might be useful again." She looks over the courtier's clothing to see if there's anything suitable for a woman. "Also, who wants the spyglass? Or the potion?"
Looking at their food options Lark will point out the weevil-y hardtack. "If we're running low on the little we brought with us then this will do in a pinch."
"Would you like to keep the ring, Lee? It could be a lifesaver if you're not a strong swimmer."
"That potion might be good for scouting Riptide Cove (the grindylow sea-cave), or for exploring that sunken Chelish ship. Do you want to keep it for now, Thren?"
"The jewlery and small valuables we can divide up now or leave here for later. We plan to return for water, right? The cooking gear, pepper and clothing might be hard to transport now if we're headed directly for the Cove."
Lark will stow the journal in his bag and then try to strap a couple of spears to the outside. He'd like to have a couple of throwing weapons handy for a little more fighting flexibility.
The clothes were tailored for a male (they likely belonged to Arron Ivy) but given trousers are, more importantly, more suitable for a sailor of any sex, they could probably tailored to Thren with little difficulty and could fit her now if be a bit baggy most places. The outfits of course also do not currently accommodate a tail. Chelish fashion is fairly flexible. Hiring a seamstress to adjust the fit would not be too difficult, provided they ever got off a the deserted island ruled by goblin-octopi.
The mosquito netting can be removed from where it is fastened to the ceiling and packed up. It being in ample quantity to wrap around a full-size bed, it is about 3 pounds and enough to go around three Medium-sized bedrolls (which also conveniently means two Medium ones and two Small ones).
Lark is able to strap a few spears to his kit.
The bard looks over the clothes, thinks about it, and sighs. "I probably shouldn't bother keeping any of them. Plugg and Scourge likely would take that poorly. Ah well. I would like the potion though, thanks." She then looks at the spears, thinks, then shrugs. "I need to find a decent weapon for fighting at range, maybe I can get a shortbow at some point. The spears just don't suit me well." Thren puts the potion into her belt pouch. Then she helps herself to some of the hardtack. "Not what I'm in the mood for, but it'll do. I'm really in the mood for tuna steak, but hardtack is the next best thing, right? Now, who's up for exploring the cove?"
Lark takes some of the pepper they found and sprinkles it on his serving of hardtack. Munching determinedly he says "I'm not sure this really helps. 'Better' is not the word that springs to mind, but it is... different."
Washing it all down with lots (and lots) of spring water Lark replies to Thren, "Yeah, I'm ready. How about we leave the bigger loot here, pack the mosquito netting and head back down toward the coast?"
Lark suggests they descend slowly and look for any likely spots to approach the sea cave by stealth. Could it be possible to climb down to that area from directly above?
Lee slides the ring on.
"Okay. No drowning for me."
Lee eats and agrees that stealth is the best bet.
"Did you want to check Thren's wounds before we go?"
Lark goes a little closer to the edge of the ridge to see if there's a more direct way of accessing the cove. From what he can see, it would involve a difficult climb down a sheer cliff face and dropping straight into the water below, and hoping they don't land on jagged head-shattering rocks . A small,sinister-looking bird-bat hybrid flies around the top of the cliffs overlooking the cove.
"Lark, let me see what I can do for your wounds, it's only fair."
After looking down ridge toward the cove Lark turns to the group, "The climb down and the swim don't look too bad, but there's a small yet terrifying flying thing over there. We'll definitely have to find another way in."
Lark gratefully accepts healing from Threnody, "Thanks, Thren. I feel like my old self again."
"Shall we return to where the path split off and try the trail that heads toward the planted field?"
"Then let's get moving. I hope Cog and Sandara are still all right, we've been at it too long as it is."
You make your way back down the ridge. Trying to take the steep, switchback path both carefully as well as quietly is a challenge, and only Lark manages to amble down both swiftly and completely quietly--perhaps unsurprisingly given his past as a smuggler. Threnody surpasses him in speed but makes some noise sliding along some scree. Rosie climbs quickly, given her shorter legs, but she knocks some rocks down the cliff, and alternately Lee struggles to keep up with everyone else but does keep extraordinarily quiet. If anyone notices your descent, you see no sign of who or what that may be. It takes you all probably a good hour when the last of you descends the path.
Once on flat ground, you all deftly and silently approach the field you now know was planted by Arron Ivy. Impressively, he and the earlier castaways, before they ghoulified or were eaten, managed to plant about a full acre of corn and squash, with the squash planted at the base of the corn serving as land cover. While this prevented massive undergrowth from overtaking the field so that both crops survived, the jungle climate and the humans' inability to carefully tend to the field--and their now at least several-week absence--has resulted in much of the place becoming overgrown.
The corn is quite high, at least six feet. Just barely jutting out of the field at intervals are scarecrows that Ivy must have built using the clothes of the Infernus crew--while crooked, half-moldy, and shredded, they are still almost amiable looking compared to the grindylows' skeletal shepherds found elsewhere.
While you are more concerned about your friends, some of you may hold in the back of your minds that some of the corn and squash is probably ready to pick, and thus a good source of fresh food for the crew.
The field is flanked by the rocky ridge on one side, and thick undergrowth on the other. You can probably pick out a path going around the field, or walk through a slightly overgrown footpath between the rows of corn. Because of the high corn and overgrown nature of the field, you would have to be careful not to get turned around as you will not be able to see far ahead of you--but on the other hand, while in the field, it is unlikely anything would spot you, either, even if you weren't trying to be stealthy (and if you were, you would be effectively invisible). The path around the field might be a little slow-going but certainly easier to navigate--but also likely to leave you more exposed.
"Maybe we should use the corn for cover?" The tiefling looks at the trail warily. "This island has had too many unpleasant surprises on it. I'd rather we not get seen immediately. Besides, it'll let us see how much of this is ripe."
"Probably if we note the location of the sun and keep it there(ish) we won't get totally turned around. Either that or we can use one of the boundaries as a guide (ridge on one side, overgrowth on the other).