--Sandman-- |
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Everything about harpoons in pathfinder is painfully stupid. Don't bother with them. It isn't worth the nonsense.
Nivian Mazu |
Also, as said, it's a small one. Inapprobiate size => -2 on rolls. Even if it was a martial weapon and theoretically worthwhile, we'd be better off selling it and getting a medium-sized one. Which we won't, because reasons.
The Many-Faced GM |
The pirates once again find themselves standing at the entrance to Riptide Cove. The ocean churns in the narrow space and waves constantly break upon deliberately sharpened walls of bladed stone lining the tunnel. A beam of sunlight shines in through a hole in the ceiling of the tunnel some 40 feet over head.
It's a DC 15 Swim check to swim out against the current. Failure by 5 or more gets you smashed into the pointy rocks. There is also a hole in the ceiling farther in that you could try to climb out of, but it's a DC 15 climb check and 40 feet of distance.
Roughly 50 feet out from shore is the rotting hulk of a shipwreck leaning in a bed of coral. The wreck lies some 20 feet beneath the surface and is clearly damaged.
--Sandman-- |
"Rough tide." Sandman said. He handed Nivian a coil of rope. "I'd rather not risk on of us being dashed on the rocks by an errant wave. Would you mind finding somewhere out there to secure us a line?"
Nivian Mazu |
Nivian smiled:"I can certainly try...as long as you don't expect me to pull any of you."
Nivian takes hold of the rope, then swims forward looking for a good place to affix it. If she finds one, she does so, otherwise she returns with the bad news, and offers to help people swim outside one by one.
(I am not particularily strong, but with a swim speed, I should hopefully give a circumstance bonus beyond "aid another"'s regular +2)
@GM, is that the same shipwreck with the moray eel?
@all: if so, would really love trying sea creature empathy first...gave up a hex for the class feature, so lets try and make it count :)
Fargrim Dawnforge |
Before leaving the caves, Fargrim cuts off the queen's misshapen head, as well as the oversized Whale's head, and then posts them on some of the polearms gathered from the grindylows. He jabs them into the ground at the cave entrance as a deterrent for any more would-be cave-crashers.
Fargrim looks at the wreck. "Perhaps we should rest before we attempt another bout? I am practically spent and do not have a very good weapon for fighting beneath the water."
--Sandman-- |
"Nowhere to rest in here unless you feel like sleeping in this brine. We're going to have to at least make it to shore."
Nivian Mazu |
"What Sandman said. I doubt any of you can sleep below the water surface...but we can certainly take a rest before we continue exploring this island."
When Fargrim butchered the whale, Nivian has him cut off some tender choice bits that she thinks an Moray Eel may like to feed on.
Fargrim Dawnforge |
Fargrim grunts and narrows his eyes at the apparently flippant responses from Sandman and Nivian. "Yes, clearly I meant we should slip in the cave filled with water and dead grindylows." He stomps off through the briny water to look up at the hole in the ceiling 40 feet up. "Give me a rope. I can find a place to secure it up top. If we have enough length, we can add knots to the rope to make it easier for someone of you."
Take 10 on Climb check for results of 17, easily enough to make the climb without incident.
Nivian Mazu |
"Hm, the stirges won't make climbing up a very pleasant experience. I know you could probably do it anyway, but why take risks when we can leave the way we entered?", Nivian suggests, then checks to see if she can affix the rope at some place outside that will help people not get crushed against sharp rocks while exiting the cave.
Fargrim Dawnforge |
Fargrim stops about 10' from the ground and looks back over his shoulder at Nivian. "Eh? What's that? Stirges?" He looks back up the wall and quickly climbs back down. "I, uh, seemed to have forgotten about those buggers." He clears his throat a few times, all the while avoiding Nivian's gaze. "Uh, thanks." Nivian can clearly tell it is very difficult for Fargrim to offer up his apologies to her...
Johara |
Johara says with complete sincerity, "Don't worry about it, Fargrim. I know they are little more than a nuisance to a hardy dwarf like yourself, but they really are troublesome for the rest of us who are a bit... squishier. But you didn't want to insult us by bringing up how the rest of us are a bit more fragile. It's all right, we'll make do."
--Sandman-- |
"Let's just have Vivian run a line out to the shore, and use it to haul ourselves against the tide. We should be able to stay well clear of that eel. We won't be far from that house when we get to shore."
The Many-Faced GM |
After a brief discussion, Nivian swims off with one end of the rope. There isn't much between the ship wreck and the cove that would serve well to anchor the line besides Nivian's own body. Thankfully the group is relatively small in number, they don't have far to go and the current isn't incredibly strong. Once out of the cove entrance, everyone is able to get to shallow waters and finds themselves standing on the beach once more.
It is early in the day and the sun is still heading towards it's apex. Stepping out into the light is a rude reminder of the heat that is increasing. At least the cove provided some shade.
Nivian Mazu |
"It's still early morning. While I agree that some rest may be in order before we tackle new challenges, it would be wasteful to sleep the whole day away...there's 2 things come to mind that need doing...first, to roughly map this island, go along it's perimeter and make a rough map. Secondly, return to the ship, drop of Saranda and Lucky, and see how the repairs are going, or if they need anything. We could try and do both today, then rest up, and tomorrow, check the areas we deem dangerous.", Nivian states, laying in the water near the beach, determined to enjoy the cooling embrace of the water as long as possible in the rising heat.
--Sandman-- |
Sandman seemed surprised. "I am willing. I expected the rest of you might wish to rest first."
"Sandra, Lucky, how are you two doing?"
How badly wounded are people?
The Many-Faced GM |
Sandara responds "I'm okay, all things considered. I have some more healing magic if you guys need it."
She walks over and starts examining Lucky's leg. The whale's bite took a large chunk out of his thigh, almost like a shark bite. "It's a wonder he's still alive. My magic will close the wound, but most of the muscle is gone. Even part of the bone is damaged. He will need stronger magic than I have to keep the leg. I think it's already starting to get infected, but I'm no surgeon. I bet that bloated bastard's bite was disease ridden."
Lucky's leg easily looks worse than it did before. He can't put much weight on it and if he wasn't fortunate enough to swim some of the way he probably would have had to have been carried. He won't be able to effectively walk on it.
With his adrenaline wearing off, he fades in and out of consciousness. When awake he says very little but wears a painful grimace. He sweats profusely and is warm to the touch but that could just bee the weather.
Hit point wise Sandara and Lucky are full.
Nivian Mazu |
"Well, with the state of the leg, our plan seems decided...we'll need to head back to the ship, where our Doctor(points at Sandman) can do what's needed to save his life, if not the leg, and we others check on the repairs, then take it from there.", Nivian answers to Saranda's examination of Lucky's leg.
Baltzar Callinova |
"Or maybe not. He could have lost the leg entirely and died of blood loss. Just losing the leg? Lucky." she says.
Nivian Mazu |
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"Peg-Leg Lucky...if you decide to settle down with your share of the plunder, you could open a watering hole for thirsty sailors. 'The Lucky Peg-Leg' seems just the right name for that kind of etablissement...", Nivian is well aware Lucky is feverish and in pain, but wants to keep him awake and focused until they had time to amputate, and kept talking with him, encouraging the others to do the same.
Well, actually taking my cue from Johara and Baltzar-
--Sandman-- |
Sandman hefted Whale's bloody bottom jaw from where it was balanced over his shoulder. "I guessed the leg would need to come off. That's why I brought this. His new leg will be made out of the jaw of the beast that bit him."
--Sandman-- |
Sandman looked at the distances to the ship and to the old house.
"I think the ship will be easier. Fargrim and I can help Lucky walk."
The Many-Faced GM |
Sandman helped Owlbear row them in.
"After you drop us off, head back to the ship and report in. Rosie's going to need all hands to get the ship repaired." he said to Owlbear. "We'll signal the ship when we need picked up again."
It's roughly a half a mile walk back to the drop off point. A few hours after the signal, the longbow comes rowing up, powered by Owlbear and Fishguts.
"Oi, still alive I see. And how goes the search for water?" Fishguts calls out.
It's up to you how you signal the ship.
The roll20 map has been updated.
Nivian Mazu |
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Would it be "faster" if I simply swim-run to the ship? I mean, how far out is it? I can swim 160 ft per round, or hustle 80ft ...Nautical mile is ~6080 feet - meaning 76 rounds of hustling, or about 7 and a half minutes per nautical mile...(or ~8 knots speed - funny side fact:faster than ancient sail-ship journeys...). In that case, I could request a few others to come with the rowboat, with barrels, so they can fill up the water...while we go back to the ship...once we've been dropped off, they can go back and pick up the water crew, too. Because while it seems the easier way, I expected us to be beached somewhat close to shore...waiting a couple hours may not be good for Lucky-/the house may have been preferable despite being the harder path-
The Many-Faced GM |
It's about 5-6 miles to the boat. Even if it is faster, it's definitely not safer.
Nivian Mazu |
Hm...I expected it to be safe enough if there have been humans here, fishing and stuff...but then, we did find the island deserted and crabs greeting us at the beach. I could be there in half an hour...but you claim it's dangerous. Fine, in that case, allow us to retcon and make our way to the hut as Sandman suggested. It may be the significantly more difficult/strenous path, but with Lucky's medical state it does not sound like we can afford to wait several hours for a rowboat to come, then take another hour to row back to the ship.(usually sideboats are at 3-4 knots top, so it would take at least double as long as me). Or tell us that everything will go fine with Lucky on the ship. I'd just hate to read "oh it took too long he's dead now" because we were unaware we run aground so far out from the island.
Alas, that makes the island an even more desirable base, because if the reefs and dangerous ground already start 5 or 6 miles out, it will be very difficult to approach it for someone who does not have a detailed map.
The Many-Faced GM |
The ship crashed roughly a mile off shore off of the northern part of the island, you came out of Riptide cove on the southern side of the island. The island is a few miles wide from north to south. If you want to know about Lucky's health, make a heal check. You have encountered undead, chokers, and giant crabs and you have explored maybe half the island. Every time you've been in the water you've encountered threats ranging from grindylows, ghouls, giant moray eels and more, so yes, it is dangerous. The abandoned fishing village and swamps still haven't been explored. However you have rescued your crew and found a fresh water source thus completing your objectives. Where you go now and how you go there is totally up to you.
Nivian Mazu |
I'll leave that heal-check to Sandman. I suppose we'll base our decision on that. @Dangers: I figured most of the dangers were..."passive", like the moray eel. Such that I could either outrun them, or avoid them. I assumed when the island got settled, they kind of made sure that it was not so lethal that taking a walk alone would be suicidal. But then, they obviously misjudged situations, considereing the island was abandoned ^_^
Really, it's all fine, I'm only trying to explain that I had wrong "views" or assumptions. Knowing we are several hours away from the ship, it may be best to just place lucky in a shadowy spot of the beach and operate right here, then "bind" the leg, to prevent the infection from spreading. *shrug* - as said, Sandman's call. Mine was wrong, since it was based on how I wrongly imagined things to be.
--Sandman-- |
"Lucky, let me take a good look at your leg." Sandman said gently.
Heal, guidance: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 1 = 20
The Many-Faced GM |
Lucky has a fever and his leg is infected, but he is otherwise stable. It is most likely that gangrene will set in and he'll lose the leg, but he's in no danger of dying from the wound any time soon. The fever must be controlled, the wound cleaned, and the infection treated but it's not likely to kill him for several days.
--Sandman-- |
"The leg is infected. Fever is spreading. Lucky, you have a few days before your life is in danger, but the pain is only going to keep getting worse until the leg comes off."
"Nivian, I will be making Lucky's leg my priority once we get back to the ship. Whatever salvage we can retrieve from that Eel's sunken ship is not going to go anywhere."
"I propose we get back to the ship, assess the repairs, and rest up. I will tend to Lucky while the rest of you haul water. Then, when we are ready to take our leave of this place we can check for salvage and any other parts of the island we wish to explore before we go."
Nivian Mazu |
"Let us do it like that, then. We should also check if the abandoned village is easier to approach with the ship. Maybe they choose the location because there are less reefs and sandbanks on that side. If they managed to get her seaworthy again, that is. If we're celebrating until everybody is drunk, I'll not want her safely anchored in a bay...", Nivian agrees with Sandman, and adds her own considerations.
Well..."nearly" doesn't sound great, but it does sound a lot better than certain alternatives, or the omission. So, good thing that word was there in that sentence.
--Sandman-- |
"This does not seem like a time to celebrate." Sandman said grimly. "Our ship barely floats, our stores are low, and we need to be gone from here before any other pirate of the shackles comes across us and sees easy pickings."
"The crew might not like it, but I think now is the time for hard work. We need to get the water to the ship, and gather as much food as we can. Felling some trees and rendering lumber on the beach would help as well. Once we know there are few dangers left on the island, I think bringing the crew ashore and putting them to work is the right course. Their reward will be a night sleeping on the warm sands rather than the berths. A ration of rum each might calm their nerves, but letting them drink themselves to stupor seems ill advised."
Nivian Mazu |
Hm, I thought we had agreed earlier to do the belated celebrations of liberating the ship from plugg, regaining our freedom, and rescuing our crew?
"You push them too hard. Our ship may barely float, but it IS our ship. After we mutinied against Plugg, we had to deal with a storm, underhanded, and an attack during it, which we survived. We run into a reef, but she's still afloat, and the crew which were abducted, we retrieved, taking possession of an island in the process. I agree there is much work to do, but morale is important, too. Let the crew celebrate, THEN put them to work again fetching water, felling trees, and gathering food. We had no break since we were transferred to the ship now named Covenant, yet ample reason to celebrate, if not the time to do so.", Nivian attempts to present her reasons to Sandman.
--Sandman-- |
Sandman thought for a moment and nodded. "True. There is wisdom in the idea of celebrating life whenever one can. I am concerned about their state after the celebration. You know their hearts better than I. If you say they need it, they will get it. I only ask that they be aware of the stakes so we don't have them all nursing their heads tomorrow morning."
The Many-Faced GM |
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The ride back to the ship is rather slow and tedious. The glaring sun beats down but the waves carry a healthy breeze along with them. While Owlbear is silent and stoic, Fishguts carries on and on. He talks about everything from the weather to the repairs and what holds next for the crew.
"The repairs go on decently enough, but with few hands there are delays. The limited supplies and inadequate tools make progress slow, but the crew is motivated. Rosie has'em workin' harder than ever."
Nivian is the first to see her clearly, although she cannot see Fishguts's grin from her place in the sea. Despite the shortcomings preached by Fishguts, the ship looks seaworthy. The holes have been patched and she no longer rests on the reef. The journey back to the ship has allowed the tide to come. The ship sways with each passing wave, and once close enough, the cheers sing out.
"HERE, HERE!"
It's a quick climb up the side ladders and the whole crew waits on deck, Rosie standing at the front.
"It's about time you're back" she says with a sly grin. "Another day or two and Owlbear would have had us sailing on without you, afraid you'd become accustomed to island living or a meal for a local beast." Owlbear simply cocks his head to the side in confusion as Fishguts clap him hard on the back and laughs. Most of the crew join in as well.
"She's shipshape and ready to sail on. Should we set sail or break out the rum?"
Fargrim Dawnforge |
Fargrim greets the crew with a tired nod as he climbs aboard, but grins and laughs heartily along at the expense of Owlbear. "What say you? Break out the rum for these hard working lads and lasses?" he glances at Nivian and Sandman. Fargrim doesn't have much of a head for being a captain, while the other two clearly do...
Nivian Mazu |
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"Well, our dear Sandara is a cleric of Besmara, the patron of pirates. And fate smiled on her today, when we managed to rescue her, and 'Lucky', from the clutches of the vile beasts that had taken them. There's quite a tale to tell, and one can't do that with a dry throat. So I say, we break out the rum, and celebrate our freedom, Besmara's favor, and our freedom, because it's worth drinking to, twice, having thrown off our shackles AND won a ship in one fell swoop.", Nivian attempts an impromptu-speech.
@Sandman: I know what you mean. But if we're doing pirate cliches like monkeys and peg-legs, we need a proper drunk celebration, too :) We basically eliminated the grindylows, so the amphibious random encounters table should be rather diminished - Plus Nivian would not get too drunk, knowing we have plans for tomorrow. Let the crew worry about their headache, and see us go to work, if anything, it'll raise their respect for us.
The Many-Faced GM |
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The crew cheers loudly at the mention of the rum and a few quickly disperse below decks to fetch the barrels. Fishguts nods and turns to head down to the galley.
"If we be celebratin', I guess I better start plannin' a feast. We ain't gots much left but I'm sure I can comes up with something." He appears to be lost in thought as he walks away.
Owlbear stands in place like a statue, unsure of what to do without instruction. Sandara wastes no time putting him to use though. "Owlbear, help me with Lucky. We need to get him below decks and make him comfortable."
She turns and looks at Sandman. "I can't fathom what you have in mind to help him but you could use a hand I imagine."
Johara |
Johara helps bring back some water and by the time the group starts arranging the shipboard celebration she seems to be quite upbeat. She flits about the deck moving cargo, delivering comestibles, and occasionally spinning, bowing, or skipping away.
Before Lucky is hauled downstairs, she kisses him on the cheek and says, "Good luck! We are all hoping for your swift recovery."
She flits over by Nivian and says, "Now we can celebrate! We rescued our crew against all hope, the ship is afloat again, we have food and water and we can go wherever we please!" She twirls on her tiptoes, extending her hands up to the sky, bends side to side, then with a hop strikes a happy pose.
The Nightmare Mask |
On the trip back to the ship, the Mask had been busy. Starting with Sandman and slowly moving out to everyone in the dinghy, the grime and blood and sand had hardened to dust and crumbled away leaving them all spotless.
You have endured the island. The pains of your efforts have borne new understandings. Lessons well learned. Be cleansed. New. Ready for the next trial.
--Sandman-- |
Thank you. Freedom is always the sweetest reward.
Once aboard the ship, Sandman smiled broadly as Nivian and Johara addressed the crew. Whale's jawbone still rested over his shoulder, but it was clean now. The Mask had stripped it of blood and remnants of flesh. Now it was bleached white.
"There are spoils!" Sandman boomed. "The Octo-goblins had a small haul, which we took, along with their lives!"
"Once we have it accounted, we'll be splitting the coin and passing out shares."
Then he followed Sandra downstairs.
Heal, 2 uses of the Healer's Kit, Aid from Sandra: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 30
The work was short and bloody, and Sandman did not believe in numbing the pain. He told Lucky to find the place in himself that could endure what was to happen, and spoke to him calmly. He gave him a folded piece of leather to bite and went to work.
The Mask drank deeply, the blood powdering and vanishing before it had much of a chance to run. Sandman bound the leg high, cutting off bloodflow, then cut upward at an angle on both sides, opening the leg on two sides like a gutted fish. Then he cut through he bone. At some point, Lucky passed out, but Sandman kept working. Once the bone was through, he staunched the oozing marrow with his strange bluish sand and sewed the two flaps of flesh he'd flayed out together over the stump. Once he was done he let Sandra work her miracle and heal the skin.
It was done. Mere hours ago, Lucky had a leg oozing with septic infection. Now there was just a round knot of muscle. He and Sandra helped Lucky up onto the deck and set him up somewhere that he could enjoy the party without needing to get around.
He wasn't done though. Lucky needed a new leg.
While everyone else partied on the deck above, Sandman worked. It took him hours, but eventually he made his way back up with a peg leg made out of Whale's jawbone. He held it up so the crew could see.
The jaw had been split in the front, and then the two pieces were bound together and attached to a leather and cloth harness creating a curved bone "foot." The whole thing was lined in razor sharp teeth and etched in fearsome symbols, much like Sandman's warclub.
"I'd say you're a real pirate now."