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Sarrien begins to cackle madly at the creatures as he stabs at the creature before him. The blade slides across the creatures thick skin
The remaining two's features contort as their brethren fall to the deck. They cautiously back away as they slither over the side in a squall or green tentacles and vanish into the stormy sea.
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As the creatures vanish into the sea the pirates are able to fendof the rest of the ship. Lightning cracks all around as the ship suddenly lurches throwing everyone to the deck as everything goes black.
As the sun rises and the tide goes out the crew begins to regain consciousness, slowly coming to terms with your predicament. As you look around it looks as if the Man's Promise has run aground on the coral reefs surrounding an island. The Man's Promise has a gaping hole in the main hold on the starboard side.
Mister Plugg begins to bark orders to the new memebers of the crew. You lot, begin ripping apart the ship's deck to start repairing that hole before we lose the ship! Now lets see if we have everyone.
Master Scourge begins to do a quick roll of the ship's crew. As Scourge gets further down the list it seems that Sandara and Cog are both missing from the crew.
Mister Plugg retorts They probably washed overboard during the storm. Within moments Jape rushes forward to Plugg and Scourge letting them know that the ships fresh water barrel burst when they ran aground and is now empty. Mister Plugg glares at the four of you You four. Take the ships cutter and a couple of empty barrels and find fresh water and supplies on the nearby island. I will not be consuming any of the magical garbage. The repairs will be completed in a day and a half. The ship will sail at the first high tide after the repair. If you do not return by then the ship will leave without you.
Sarrien runs after the retreating forms of the sea creatures, slashing the air and missing them as they dive back into the water. "They're gone." He cackles again. Are you still down there Xavier? he checks to make sure his familiar is still safe from the storm below decks but doesn't receive a reply before he is thrown across deck slamming his head into the mast.....
The next day...
Sarrien pulls himself slowly to his feet, At least I am still alive, and finds Xavier staring at him from above.
Well at least their ship was ok and they weren't stranded on a desert island with no food or water. He did his best to be thankful for the small things when life turned to crap.
It was a pity they had lost Sandara, she would have made a good ally. Crimson Cogward could have been too. "That's the way of the sea Plugg. It don't care if you're woman or man, rich, poor, strong or weak. She takes us all when she sees fit." Who knew what the bastard would think he meant. For now it was time to go exploring the island. Better that than stuck on the ship for a couple days doing nothing. "We'll be back."
Sandara noo.... by Lamashtus ugly titts, she is gone.
Taking the holy symbol Jack cuts himself to make a blood vow to search for her. Within reason.
"Aye, Aye Sir. We will take care of water."
Waiting till the others are safely on the boat Jack tells them that Sandara might be kidnapped. But for now they have to play nice. Maybe they would find clues on the island. Hopefully good oportunitys.
"Kidnapped? We were all in a terrible storm. She could just as likely been hurled overboard Jack. Try not to get your hopes too high Jacky."
"Its possible she survived, we are right next to land and with strong swimming, with a hint of magic she could have managed to make it here, however slim the possibility might be".
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As the group hops into the ships cutter. They begin to row towards the northern portion of the island. The waters around the island are crystal clear showing the island to be surrounded by coral reef which lie between 5 feet and 25 feet below the surface. From your vantage point it looks as if most of the island is covered in a thick jungle with a rocky cliff towering 500 feet high.
After about 40 minutes of rowing the cutter lands on the northern point of the island where you see a small gathering of collapsed mud huts all along the beach. The "village" does not appear to be inhabited. There is a small path leading south into the forest.
Sarrien quickly jumps ashore, very glad to feel solid ground beneath him again. "An abandoned village. Collapsed and... everything." He states what everyone can already see. Let's find out what happened to them hey Xavier, fly over and see what you can find while we secure the boat. He says to his familiar who flies off down the beach above the huts.
Sarrien does little to help pull the boat to a safe location though he makes a good show of it. "If there is anything there, he'll find it."
Aishe finds the holy symbol with Jack and whispers to him, "We need to find her...she was always our staunchest ally."
Later, on the beach, she nods to Sarrien. "Let's search ourselves, just to be sure..." She moves toward the village and searches the collapsed huts.
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Sarrien realizes that he has arrived to the island at low tide as Aishe inspects the village of small huts she see's near the trail hanging in the trees and around the huts perimeter are small, twisted statues made of sinew-twined scrimshaw. No two are alike.
From what Aishe can tell, this village has not been inhabited for decades.
Flying over he relays what he has seen when everyone gets near the village. He also stays overhead circling around.
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Xavier sees the same huts as A dense forest lies before him for a couple miles.
On the far NE summit looks to be a glowering fist of granite some 50 feet high. A top the granite looks like a an old beacon fire, not used in many years.
As Xavier looks south he notices that the forest seems to open up finally into what seems like a field.
To the far SW past the fields it looks as if the trail leading out of the jungle leads to the fields that Xavier sees as well as up the rocky cliff some 500 feet up. At the top of the cliff there looks to be a stockade of sorts built on the ridge.
Jack will cast create water so that those on land can drink and wash themselves.
Looking around he nods grimly and says:"Let us roll the barrels to the stream. And then can we explore the islnad. I .. will .. not .. give .. up ..the .. hope!"
Aishe, upon hearing of the locations of the various points, says, "I think it best if we check out the summit to the east before we make our way southwest to the other things Xavier happened upon."
Aishe looks around the immediate area to see if there is anything amiss, or otherwise of interest.
"Well, it seems this was for naught. Let us explore the other direction."
"Well, we could see what's on top..." Aishe says, peering sideways at Viviana.
"From the top could be a good vantage point. Perhaps there is a path somewhere. I will send Xavier to scout." He tells the bird to scout and see if there is anything worth going up there for.
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On top of the pile of rocks Xavier sees an old beacon fire on top of the summit. The beacon is some 10 feet across and consists of trees, branches, and old ship timbers, but is unlit.
Xavier also has the view that he saw before of the Man's Promise to the north. A trail leaving the jungle to the SW that seems to be connected to the old camp that the party recently left. The trail leads to an open field and to the far SW is an even greater summit some 500 feet high with what looks to be a stockade built atop it.
"It's a signal fire. As if someone was stuck here wanting to be rescued. Interesting."
Aishe nods. "Well, I suppose if Plugg decides to sail off without us, we may have some recourse." She looks southwest. "For the moment, however, let's make our way over there."
Aishe helps the others find their way through the jungle.
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Aishe easily leads the group back through the jungle and to the pathway leading south.
After about a 30 minute trek through the jungle the pathway slips suddenly into a large green bog. Remnants of an old wooden bridge cross the bog, but only short timber platforms on either side remain, leaving just the pilings jutting from the mud, insects buzzing all around.
Everyone in the group seems to notice that a salt river oozes through the swamp here, forming a solid barrier of quicksand and marsh some 70 feet across. The party also notices that the tree canopy is overhanging the mire.
Aishe looks at the bog, then at the surrounding jungle, then at the canopy above them. She removes her armor and stows it in her bag, then makes her way to a clump of vines and cuts one . After she has something suitable, she climbs the strongest tree nearest the mire and lashes it to a branch that juts out over the bog. After a few experimental tugs, she attempts to swing over.
Jack smiles and waits for Aishe to throw him the rope.
"Time to make an ass out of me"
Acrobatics take 10 maybe it works. for a 12
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Jack successfully swings to the other side. Upon landing a pair of tongues snap out of the liquid at Aishe and Jack. The two tongues wraparound their bodies as they begin to feel themselves get pulled towards the quicksand. As the resistance begins two creatures begin to emerge 10 feet away. The creatures look like normal frogs, with moist, mottled, blackish green skin, but grown to truly monstrous size.
Jack
Aishe
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Monster (left)
Monster (Right)
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Sarrien
Viviana
Jack looks at the thing around his body and shrugs, waiting for the frog to get him closer so that he can give him a welcome, a stiff welcome from taldor.
Aishe attempts, futilely, to dislodge the creature's tongue.
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Jack readies himself for the quicksand as Aishe struggles to no avail against the tongue.
The creature is unable to maintain it's hold on Aishe as the creatures tongue snaps back into it's mouth. Jack remains wrapped in the tongue but is able to stay where he is.
Sarrien
Viviana
Jack
Aishe-
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Monster (left)
Monster (Right)
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Aishe begins singing a song to inspire the others, and herself, to perform more admirably in combat.
Viviana expands her rounds action to climb a vine and move over toward her friends.
Sarrien concentrates and casts his spell. His arms for a giant snapping mouth and just behind the creatures rising out of the water is a giant crocodile moving towards them.
Slicing the tongue Jack fights back.