"Gods are weird about that sort of thing.""One of the reasons I tend to leave them alone."
Faith nods. "Good policy, but it doesn't mean they'll leave you alone. Let's go kill some undead."
You can also bless ammunition. In general spells that bless weapons will bless 50 pieces of ammunition. (Advantage here is if you have multiple archers/ranged people, you can bless a batch of ammo and they can split it up.)
There are a few other maps which show different areas of the route in more detail, especially areas that must be tricky to navigate because currents are sketched on. The map of Desperation Bay does show the Shiv, but the Jenivere shouldn't have been sailing anywhere near it.
Should you make it far enough, you find that this strict discipline continues for the first two-thirds of the Jenivere's final trip. The more recent entries are... less so.
At a number points, several days are missing entries. The entries that are in the journal are much shorter, missing the detail of Kovack's normal style. Rather than the impersonal detailing of the crew and passengers, many of the entries focus on a single passenger - the Varisian scholar, Ieana. One entire week's entries are poorly written love poems (all of them trying to rhyme) to Ieana. Then the next week a entry bemoans his inability to catch her attention.
In the week leading up to the wreck the entries have completely given up any indication that the captain cares about running his ship. Instead he complains about crew members and passengers eyeing his Ieana. In particularly he suspects his first mate, Alton, is in love with her and that he wishes Alton would have an accident.
The final entry is odd, upbeat:
"I've adjusted the Jenivere's course for Smuggler's Shiv. My Ieana wishes to travel to the island and I can think of no better place to make a home with my love. The remoteness of the island and the harshness of the currents will allow us to live without anyone trying to steal my Ieana away."
"The crew seems uneasy about the ship's new course, if their suspicions get any worse something may need to be done about them."
Faith applauds politely. "And for your next trick?"
"I will tumble down a very tiny hillock and not break a leg."
Sasha just shakes her head at Faith's offer. "Unless it ends up being skeletons, because neither of these," motioning to her rapier and kukri, "have the heft to break bones."
The sounds in the hold grow louder as everyone climbs up onto the old rotten deck of the Golden Bow. A particularly weak piece of lumber breaks under Tulip's clawed foot, sending a shaft of sunlight into the dark hold, and you see something move, growling. Going a little slower (to identify the rotten wood early) you make it to the portal to the hold where the sounds are the loudest. The portal is barred from the outside.
Opening the door releases a wash of decay and funk, gagging your senses. The sounds, which had been consistent to this point stop dead. A short ladder leads to the darkness below (a darkness that is not total due to the breaks in the deck).
You head into the small cave (which is quite nice, the floor sloping upward as you go in - keeping it dry), you find a few more scales and just a few small piles of undigested fur and bone. You do not, however, find a snake.
The cave does look large enough for everyone to sleep in, although it would be crowded (... not any more so than your current digs).
Using the newest addition to your camping gear to examine the far side of the bay, you spot at least four giant crabs that go between the water and the sand. More interestingly, you see what look like two campsites, both near the water, but also near game trails that lead to the interior of lower part of the island.
Further south, there are two prominent rises from the topography of the island. The south-eastern portion of the island is a single mountain. Barren of vegetation, the rust-red stone juts from the green of the surrounding jungle like a immense scar.
South of the grey island there is a high hill, which would be unremarkable, except that a ginormous tree grows from the top of it. The banyan stretching a hundred feet into the air, separating it from the general canopy of the jungle around.
Near the end of the first week of being on Smugglers Shiv, Áine asks the group, "Did any of you get to know Ieana at all?" She has been slogging through Captain Kovack's log, and still holds it in one hand.
"I will tumble down a very tiny hillock and not break a leg."
Áine's left cheek and upper lip tightens and her eyes twinkle just for an instant.
Áine covers the lower deck with her bow, whether she can see anything or not.
"Might be worth switching base to here, as long as it's safe to move Gelik, I suppose?" She asks the others, the last directed at Jask and Faith.
"Now that's interesting." Áine says, pointing out the 2 campsites. "Wonder who else might be here."
Near the end of the first week of being on Smugglers Shiv, Áine asks the group, "Did any of you get to know Ieana at all?" She has been slogging through Captain Kovack's log, and still holds it in one hand.
"No. And frankly, I'm a little offended that there wasn't one about me. I mean, my name rhymes with plain, bane... okay, I can see why now."
"I will tumble down a very tiny hillock and not break a leg."
"I'd pay to see that," Zaine says philosophically.
"Anyone have a light spell? Or a lantern we could lower down there?"
"No. And frankly, I'm a little offended that there wasn't one about me. I mean, my name rhymes with plain, bane... okay, I can see why now."
Zaine frowns, then mutters,
"There was a young shootist named Zaine,Whose gun was his enemies' bane,
He had a t-rex,
Who evil would vex,
But keeping her fed was a pain."
Faith shrugs. "On a really slow day, I could do one of each."
"I will tumble down a very tiny hillock and not break a leg."
Faith grins. "Clerics will be standing by."
"I have a lantern, but it goes on my head and doesn't have a convenient handle for lowering. I can have a Light spell, but I don't have one handy. It'll take a few minutes."
Faith thinks for a moment. "Yeah, that's it. Your call."
"It should be safe to move Gelik," Faith says doubtfully. "I'll check with Jask. But eventually we will have a bad storm, and being cramped and sick of each other's company and dry beats being cramped and sick of each other's company and wet."
"Is here or was here," Faith ponders. "Interesting question, either way."
"The giant crabs will probably try to eat us if they see us. They look tasty from up here."
Áine grins at Zaine's limerick.
"It should be safe to move Gelik," Faith says doubtfully. "I'll check with Jask. But eventually we will have a bad storm, and being cramped and sick of each other's company and dry beats being cramped and sick of each other's company and wet."
Āine nods, "Could probably add the tarps to the front to expand the dry area." she notes.
"The giant crabs will probably try to eat us if they see us. They look tasty from up here."
"I'm sure the feelings mutual on both sides." she grins, licking her lips.
"I have a lantern, but it goes on my head and doesn't have a convenient handle for lowering. I can have a Light spell, but I don't have one handy. It'll take a few minutes."
Faith thinks for a moment. "Yeah, that's it. Your call."
"Take the time," Zaine says. "Anything that comes into the light is getting a musket ball and an arrow in the face."
Faith prays , casts Light on a copper penny, and drops it down into the darkness.
Zaine frowns, then mutters,
"There was a young shootist named Zaine,
Whose gun was his enemies' bane,
He had a t-rex,
Who evil would vex,
But keeping her fed was a pain."
Aerys voice is quiet in response.
"Upon the sea there was a crab,
And when the waves crashed, he did grab,
For the last floating beacon of hope,
A bit of the mast, the last of the rope,
All the storm, there he stayed, strapped."
She shakes her head, "Too many off rhymes." A heavy sigh and her hand goes to the flask at her waist forgetting it is already empty.
Áine notices the movement a moment before Faith drops the copper but as soon as the light clears the old rotted wood everyone see the two rotting corpses. Both turn jerkily towards the ladder moving with inexhaustible slowness.
Getting back to the beach, Jask is in favor of moving the basecamp, "But," he looks at the shade of the tarps, "Gelik can't move himself."
"A place that he could be kept dry from the rainstorms would help with his recovery." A reminder that as good as your shelter is, the rain is heavy enough that water seeps in and creates a dampness most days.
The first giant crab you see is from the safety of a high sea cliff. At the bottom of the steep rise, the red crab shuffles in the wash of the waves, occasionally emerging from the surf with green algae or a squirming fish.
Coming down off the steeper coasts the 'knife' of the Shiv has, the protected bay has a smooth sand beach which makes it quick travel to the first campsite that you spotted from the far side of the bay.
Moving up to the camp, you see several small shelters built from driftwood - but most of collapsed to the weather of the island. You do see a person with long yellow hair standing forlornly by the furthest shelter.
Beware the spores. The spores of doom.
She shakes her head, "Too many off rhymes." A heavy sigh and her hand goes to the flask at her waist forgetting it is already empty.
"Just the one," Zaine said. "I knew this one freelancer, never met a slant rhyme he didn't like. One time he tried to rhyme 'eye' with 'symmetry.' That's not even a rhyme! But he'd say 'slant,' and by that time the Duke's men were breaking through our lines, so I had to start shooting rather than argue poetry." Zaine shakes his head. "He's an idiot."
Áine notices the movement a moment before Faith drops the copper but as soon as the light clears the old rotted wood everyone see the two rotting corpses. Both turn jerkily towards the ladder moving with inexhaustible slowness.
Zaine holds his fire. "Hey, dead guys! C'mon up! We'd like to have a word!"
The first giant crab you see is from the safety of a high sea cliff. At the bottom of the steep rise, the red crab shuffles in the wash of the waves, occasionally emerging from the surf with green algae or a squirming fish.
Coming down off the steeper coasts the 'knife' of the Shiv has, the protected bay has a smooth sand beach which makes it quick travel to the first campsite that you spotted from the far side of the bay.
Moving up to the camp, you see several small shelters built from driftwood - but most of collapsed to...
Zaine keeps his musket at the ready, but not pointed at the blond person in particular.
Faith touches Áine's bow, which begins to glow with a blessing of Holy Strike . "Have fun," he says.
"Can we rig up a stretcher or something with the tarps and lumber?" Faith asks. "Otherwise maybe I can carry him. Certainly I can carry him with help."
Faith speaks quietly. "...that's not a person," he says. "I wouldn't get too close."
Faith speaks quietly. "...that's not a person," he says. "I wouldn't get too close."
Zaine's musket barrel now points at the blonde. "Did you really have to say 'spores of doom' like that?"
The two zombies shuffle towards the ladder. The neck of one seems broken as its head is fully back gazing at the ceiling with eye sockets that crawl with crabs. The second reaches the ladder, arms held up towards the opening, something wet spilling from its mouth and adding to the wet filth of its clothes.
At Faith's quiet words the not-person turns, her face sprouting a bright yellow flower and the body under the clothes weedy and tense. Her blank, all white eyes register noting, but you see the toes of her bare feet dig into the sandy soil a moment before she charges you at the edge of the campsite.
Golden Bow
Initiative
Zaine fires at the zombie. The gun pops and hisses, and nothing comes out. "Oh, son of a b%~%$," Zaine swears. He moves back, setting the gun down and drawing his whip. As though they practiced it, Tulip moves up to block any path to the gunfighter.
Campsite
Initiative
Zaine fires at the zombie. "Stay here, girl," he says to Tulip.
Faith touches Áine's bow, which begins to glow with a blessing of Holy Strike (extra 1d6 damage against evil)."Have fun," he says.
"Thank you." she says, "That'll help."
Áine sends a glowing arrow burrowing deep between the closer zombies shoulders.
"Ookay." Áine says, "Not sure if that's plant or undead. Still don't like it."
Sasha tries to find a reason to go towards on of the cliffs that are home to the flying dinosaurs.
Very carefully.
Making sure to keep Zaine between him and Tulip.
"You are a hard working man. You give all to your family," he motions to the dinosaur behind Zaine, "even when you suffer yourself. You treat with respect those you've found yourself stranded with."
"I have another map of the island," presumably the first map being the one he taciturn sailor has been sketching of your exploration. A long pause, "It has a buried treasure marked..."
Faith touches Zaine. "Blessing of destruction be upon you," he says.
Zaine's musket barrel now points at the blonde. "Did you really have to say 'spores of doom' like that?"
"It worked, didn't it?"
Faith's pulls out his dagger, which starts to glow.
Faith holds his breath.
Áine sends a glowing arrow burrowing deep between the closer zombies shoulders. Although it greatly damages the zombie, the undead creature manages to get and keep a hand on the ladder, moaning as it starts the laborious climb.
Faith touches Zaine, . "Blessing of destruction be upon you," he says.
Zaine fires at the zombie. The gun pops and hisses, and nothing comes out. "Oh, son of a b@#%#," Zaine swears. He moves back, setting the gun down and drawing his whip. As though they practiced it, Tulip moves up to block any path to the gunfighter.
Sasha moves to the back side of the portal, waiting for the zombie to come in range of her kukri.
Even though everyone is ready for it, no one moves fast enough to prevent the zombie's initial rush. Right towards Sasha at the far right of the group. (Near Tulip, because she always tries to be near Tulip). The plant infested human slams into the red-haired human, and you hear a snap.
Zaine fires at the zombie. "Stay here, girl," he says to Tulip. The shot is beautiful, taking out a large section of the zombie woman's midsection, the air around the undead going yellow. But powered by nothing that makes sense, she continues to go for the injured Sasha.
"Ookay." Áine says, "Not sure if that's plant or undead. Still don't like it." Áine's arrow also pierces the creature, sinking through a skull that is no longer fully bone.
Faith's pulls out his dagger, which starts to glow.
Sasha's stumbles back a bit, drawing the zombie away from the ranged fighters, slashing with her rapier taking off the planzom's hand.
Still the creature stands. And moves.
Golden Bow
not-broken neck 6
Bloody Doll
Sasha 8
plantzom 20
Zaine cracks his whip, attempting to wrap it around the zombie's ankle and sending him tumbling to the earth.
Trip attempt
He drops to a knee, reloading his weapon as Tulip attacks.
Crit confirm
"Uh... thanks?" Zaine says, continuing to clean and maintain his weapon. "I don't know why you chose to approach me privately, but you have to know I'm going to tell the whole group about the treasure, right?"
Faith shrugs with his hands and shoulders as well as his face.
"Never had the chance to acquire a taste for the stronger stuff."
"Okay, one more for you then." Áine draws another arrow, just hoping to hit the climbing zombie before it clears the hole and scrambles on deck.
"Bad plant-corpse thing. Stop picking on Sasha! Die already will you?" She shoots again, hoping to hit it in the neck.
Each time when you go out scouting (or food gathering)
Sasha tries to find a reason to go towards on of the cliffs that are home to the flying dinosaurs.
"You don't have to make excuses to me, you know." Áine says with a sly grin,"If you want to get a closer look, we can do it." she pauses, "We should probably bring some fish along to parley with in case we end up getting too close though." she adds. "Shall we go fishing?"
"Taming a creature like that is taking away a basic part of what it is." Her forehead furrows, "It's different with Tulip, if Zaine hadn't taken her in then she would have died, since her egg was removed from her mama."
"All of it does a better job of quieting your mind."
"I just don't like talking to groups, it's easier to just explain to one person." He pulls out an old map, the shape of the island matching the coasts that you've explored thus. He points out a marking on the map, not far from where the new shelter is intended. You also see a long bit of script on the side of the map, although it doesn't make any sense - just a jumble of seemingly random characters.
"Okay, one more for you then." Áine draws another arrow, just hoping to hit the climbing zombie before it clears the hole and scrambles on deck. It's almost a perfect shot, just a centimeter short of severing the spinal cord. But the animated corpse keeps coming, slowly.
zombies
Faith pulls out a dagger, and it starts to glow.
Zaine cracks his whip, attempting to wrap it around the zombie's wrist and sending him tumbling to the earth. The leather wraps neatly and with a tug, Zaine pulls the zombie from its perch halfway up the ladder to tumble onto the other zombie, both now tangled on the woodrot of the hold's floor. The one on top, with two arrows piercing undead flesh, doesn't move - except with the actions of the broken neck zombie below it.
"If we were in a place that would allow it, I'd be seriously considering buying a bow." A smile, "Although a pistol is tempting too."
Single minded, the zombie thrashes at Sasha with both arms, the stubby one missing but the elbow on the other slamming into Sasha's cheek.
Zaine curses, then: "Kill, girl."
He drops to a knee, reloading his weapon as Tulip attacks. And Tulip tears into the zombie, seperating head from body in an explosion of yellow that coats both dinosaur and human.
Sasha, green eyes wide, "no no no no" pulls the waterskin she carries, "Don't breathe in that stuff, pretty girl." Her voice intentionally calm despite the panic in her eyes. Ripping off the bottom of her blue shirt to wet.
Tulip starts to lean towards Sasha's ministrations, then her nostrils flare and she looks to Zaine for direction instead.
Sasha 14
Sasha shakes her head, "You can't feed a wild animal."
"Taming a creature like that is taking away a basic part of what it is." Her forehead furrows, "It's different with Tulip, if Zaine hadn't taken her in then she would have died, since her egg was removed from her mama."
Áine grins, "Then, if we go, I suppose we're hoping to not be seen, not be attacked and not leave any young'uns motherless, 'ey?" Her mouth is hard, but her eyes sparkle. [B]"Any fishes use shall be diversionary only then. ...or I suppose we could just observe from afar? Your choice."
"Each has its place." Áine responds.
"Now stay down." she says, this time directed into the hold.
Áine's arrow flies true, pinning a flailing appendage to the wood below.
"Yeah, same to you, Red." Áine mutters under her breath with a little shake of her head. She eats her bandana and wipes it over Sasha's face, neck and exposed skin.
If Sasha objects, Áine hands her the dampened bandana to finish up herself.
"If we were in a place that would allow it, I'd be seriously considering buying a bow." A smile, "Although a pistol is tempting too."...
"Sort of hard to argue for a gun when mine just misfired. It's this awful humidity..."
Tulip starts to lean towards Sasha's ministrations, then her nostrils flare and she looks to Zaine for direction instead.
Zaine nods to his dinosaur, and gestures at Sasha. "You know her. She's all right. Let her clean you up, you ridiculous beast."
Faith says this with an entirely straight face.
"I never found anything that was as good at quieting my mind as fishing," another shrug, "but that's not for everyone."
Faith throws his glowing dagger at the lower zombie.
"I sort of listened."
Faith lets out the breath he was holding, and assists in the cleanup, even if that is just running cloth to the lagoon to get water for de-sporing.
After Sasha seems to be de-spored, Faith says "I heard that snap from where I was standing. What feels bad?"
Almost a smile, "Maybe I did it wrong."
"It says that Quelling used a dwarven engineer to hide his treasure and no one man can find its secrets." Ishirou looks to the side without moving his head, "Considered going after it by myself when I found out where we are, but that suggested I wouldn't be able to unearth it by myself anyway."
With the zombies pinned and his gun jammed, Zaine begins coiling his whip up, fully expecting someone else to administer the coup de grace on the undead.
"Each has its place." Áine responds.
"Now stay down." she says, this time directed into the hold. Áine's arrow flies true, pinning a flailing appendage to the wood below.
"The abbot said I should take ranged weapons with me." Faith throws his glowing dagger at the lower zombie. With the undead already stuck under the first non-mobile zombie and pinned by Áine's arrow, Faith manages to throw his dagger into a eye socket and destroy what is left of the rotting corpse's brain.
Sasha's sheathes her rapier, but keeps her kukri gripped lightly as she climbs down into the hold, swing to the back to avoid the pile of zombie at the bottom. Once you are down, Faith's light (and Áine's night adapted vision) helps you pick out a number of crates and chests - the ones on top look to have not suffered too much water damage.
Once Tulip allows her, Sasha carefully clears away the zombie pollen from near the dinosaur's mouth, nose and eyes, barely noticing Áine doing the same for her. She has a harder time convincing Tulip to let her run water over the sharp teeth without swallowing, but she does her best. And gargles a mouthful of water to spit out herself.
After Sasha seems to be de-spored, Faith says "I heard that snap from where I was standing. What feels bad?"
"A rib, I think." Sasha says, noticibly pausing where she might normally shrug, "It's dealable."
Searching the camp, you find one of the shelters has a wall made from the stern of a ship, proudly bearing the name of the ship which wrecked on the rocks of the Shiv - Bloody Doll. In most of the shelters you find old bloodstains and drag marks. Oddly enough, the shelter the zombie had been staring at when you arrived is the only one to show no signs of violence.
DC 20
Zaine picks up his musket and gives it a resentful look. He then sheaths it on the holster on Tulip's barding.
"Let Faith help you," Zaine says. "That's what holy people are for. You get hurt, they pray, you feel better. And we don't have one of our people slowed down with a broken rib."
Assuming Sasha gets patched up or successfully argues against it, Zaine and Tulip will cautiously approach the shelter.
Some afternoon, Zaine steps up in front of the group. "So, turns out still waters run deep, and Ishirou knows about some buried treasure on this island." Zaine puts down a map. "There's a map and everything. So I'm thinking we all go and dig it up. The treasure, not the map."
Faith retrieves his dagger and coin. The glow on the dagger fades once a minute has passed.
Faith Detect Magics.
Faith looks at Sasha's torso, and places his hand near the rib he thinks is cracked. "We are terrible that way."
Faith shrugs. "We need to explore this island anyway. I am in favor of finding buried treasure."
Faith looks around, realizing something. "...and I bet Tulip can't work a shovel."
Faith looks around, realizing something. "...and I bet Tulip can't work a shovel."
Zaine claps hands over Tulip's earholes and whispers, "She's very sensitive about her arms."
Sasha smiles, "There is a decent natural blind above the nest on the northern cliffs." A shrug, "Upwind and with a little scent blocking, shouldn't bother them much at all."
"Hmm, stakeout." Áine grins, "Let's see. Berries, nuts, coffee beans, jerky bits, water, spyglass, cloak to rest on...am I missing anything?" she asks Sasha, one eyebrow arched and an anticipatory expression.
Áine intends to search the Bloody Doll shelter thoroughly.
Áine has a huh, yeah, okay then expression. She refrains from doing the t-rex arms thing.
You start to search the remaining crates and chests to find something that hasn't been ruined by time, water, or zombie funk. After moving the top few chests from the pile, you notice to late movement from behind the pile () a final zombie, held in the dark recesses of the hold by a heavy collar and chain around its neck tries to bite Faith - who is saved only by the use of his heavy armor. You then are able to easily arrow, slice, whip and dagger the zombie into re-death.
That finished, in one crate you find 20 vials well sealed against the environment. Five of which Faith says glow with magic.
Sasha nods at the placement of the hand, "I'm not used to holy people having healing to spare." Sasha's movements grow much less stiff as the wound mends. "Thank you, Faith." Sasha says with a grin.
Most of the shelters have collapsed in the interior and you don't find anything useful remaining, with the keen survival skills in the group, you'd guess that the camp was attacked, people were killed and taken away or just taken away and the camp was looted by the attackers.
The near-the-zombie shelter that doesn't have blood or other signs of violence, does look like it was looted.
The map shown does indicate the same coastline as the eastern side of the Shiv, on a hilly rise south of your new campsite. In the pirate code on the side of the map, which Ishirou translates, quietly "Climb the hill in dark, at the first touch of the sun upon the hill, move until the sun rises between the two spikes striking out from the sea. There you dig."
Survival
Sense Motive
Zaine and Tulip look around the campsite. "What do you think, girl? Where were the people taken? Can you find them?"
"Well, that doesn't sound too hard. Let's plan a trip out there at sunrise."
Tulip does her best and does manage to track the months old trail a little way up the nearby gametrail, but about 100 yards into the jungle there is a break in the trees combined with an intersection of gametrails and you aren't certain if you should go west or south east.
"Well, that doesn't sound too hard. Let's plan a trip out there at sunrise."
Jask looks concerned, "You want to go tramping down the coast miles in the dark?" He shakes his head, "Don't get me wrong, it seems like an interesting mystery to explore, but I don't want any of you to get hurt without need, maybe scout out a safe path first and then plan your sunrise attack on the treasure?"
Shockingly, as he never speaks up in a group, Ishriou adds, "Quellig had a reputation as a deadly man, before the Bloodcove authority caught him." He looks down at his weathered hands, white scars from ship labor in the darkly tanned skin, "He probably trapped his treasure, so it'd be a fool's idea to start a delicate labor injured or exhausted."
"Sasha and I would be happy to check out the area first." Áine says, looking to Sasha for confirmation.
Tulip does her best and does manage to track the months old trail a little way up the nearby gametrail, but about 100 yards into the jungle there is a break in the trees combined with an intersection of gametrails and you aren't certain if you should go west or south east.
Jask looks concerned, "You want to go tramping down the coast miles in the dark?" He shakes his head, "Don't get me wrong, it seems like an interesting mystery to explore, but I don't want any of you to get hurt without need, maybe scout out a safe path first and then plan your sunrise attack on the treasure?"
Shockingly, as he never speaks up in a group, Ishriou adds, "Quellig had a reputation as a deadly man, before the Bloodcove authority caught him." He looks down at his weathered hands, white scars from ship labor in the darkly tanned skin, "He probably trapped his treasure, so it'd be a fool's idea to start a delicate labor injured or exhausted."
Zaine rolls his eyes. "Yeah, fine, sure. Y'know, next time either of you has an idea, maybe speak up first. And I'll be going on any scouting missions, thankyouverymuch."
"...it's what healing is for." Faith hangs back a bit and keeps rear watch as the group follows Zaine and Tulip into the jungle.
"That sounds reasonable," Faith says. "Scout first. Come back with shovels. Destroy any evil we might find. Piece of crab."
Zaine rolls his eyes. "Yeah, fine, sure. Y'know, next time either of you has an idea, maybe speak up first. And I'll be going on any scouting missions, thankyouverymuch."
Áine raises an eyebrow. "Well, I'm sure Tulip will always be more then welcome," she glances sideways at Sasha with a sly grin, "guess we never thought of you as the scouty type with the big, brash gun you wield so well. Maybe that's unfair though. Happy to have you in the Advanced Party, Sir!" she says with a twinkle in her eye and a tone and expression broadcasting her "just having fun here" intent.
Zaine rolls his eyes. "Yeah, fine, sure. Y'know, next time either of you has an idea, maybe speak up first. And I'll be going on any scouting missions, thankyouverymuch."
Sasha grins at Zaine, "I've wanted to go scouting with Tulip for ages."
You break down a bit of the seaside campsite so that you can start the set up in the cave before going through the effort of moving the feverish Gelik. The very back of the cave proves to have a high niche that is bone-dry - a safe place to store things that you don't want wet (like gun powder and rations). Using one of the canvases you are able to extend the mouth of the cave to give a sheltered area in the front.
It only takes a single afternoon to get the basic set-up. Moving Gelik takes a full day (pausing in the middle of the day to avoid the extreme heat of the early afternoon). You are able to move the rest of your hard won gear the following day, and over the course of the next week, you are able to make the former snake hole a mostly comfortable home for everyone.
At the higher altitude, it is much colder at night, but you immediately have fewer bug bites. Between the more protected campsite and the herbs found by the scouting party, Gelik starts to improve.
About another four miles down the beach from the camp of the refuges of the Bloody Doll, you come across the second campsite. This one doesn't seem as old as the Bloody Doll with a number of the structures still intact. But it has a still, musty abandoned feel. Near the central campfire, you find a rescued ship's bell - Crow's Tooth carved into the metal.
Looking around, you find a the same signs of violence that were at the first campsite. However, you also see signs of resistance - in the form of a number of broken swords and daggers. The swords are odd things, with a jagged sawedge curving down the killing side. Finding the first one, Sasha picks it up, looking excited, but frowns when she realize the weapon is broken and rusted. She examines every single one of the exotic blades, but can't find any that are still combat-worthy.
In the cove right down the cliffs from your new home, you see signs of a small campsite. Far more recent than either of the two you found in the inner bay.
Moving along the cliffs, you spot a number of more wrecked ships.
Áine picks up a leather sheath from under some driftwood near the fire. She draws the blade, studies it first a few moments then calls Sasha over. "This one looks like it's still in good shape." Áine hands her the sheathed blade, hilt first.
Sasha grins at Zaine, "I've wanted to go scouting with Tulip for ages."
Zaine turns to Tulip with a long-suffering look. "Laugh it up," he says. The t-rex hoots at him and demands to be scratched behind her jaw.
Zaine spends one of these days outside, making powder and shot.
"Never seen swords like that, and I've seen a lot of swords," Zaine said. "Mostly pointed at me, but, you know, you get an idea of what they look like."
Zaine makes note of the shipwrecks. "Guess we'll be hitting those as well. Hope there's some undead for Faith to fight."
Áine picks up a leather sheath from under some driftwood near the fire. She draws the blade, studies it first a few moments then calls Sasha over. "This one looks like it's still in good shape." Áine hands her the sheathed blade, hilt first.
Sasha shakes her head, "Thanks, but I think Faith is better with daggers." She looks at the pile of swords that she made while examining the broken weapons, "I learned how to fight with those, so I was hoping their would be two that were still functional."
A longer pause, then she looks down at the waves lapping the sandy shore, "The Crow's Tooth sailed out of Ilizmagorti," her head tilts to the left as she thinks, "I think it went missing a year ago? The captain was one... she took orders..." Sasha' stumbles to silence, clearly caught between wanting to share information and long training to keep quiet.
"Never seen swords like that, and I've seen a lot of swords," Zaine said. "Mostly pointed at me, but, you know, you get an idea of what they look like."
Sasha's takes advantage of Zaine's comment to pick up the least rusty of the swords - the last six inches of the weapon a broken jag. With her right hand she points out the saw teeth, "It's designed to mimic the legs of a praying mantis." She moves the weapon in a few slashing passes, her hold of the weapon shifting so that the blade moves easily. She bites her lower lip, "The Red Mantis Assassins consider it heresy for anyone not in the order to use one."
Sasha's takes advantage of Zaine's comment to pick up the least rusty of the swords - the last six inches of the weapon a broken jag. With her right hand she points out the saw teeth, "It's designed to mimic the legs of a praying mantis." She moves the weapon in a few slashing passes, her hold of the weapon shifting so that the blade moves easily. She bites her lower lip, "The Red Mantis Assassins consider it heresy for anyone not in the order to use one."
Zaine listens intently to Sasha, nodding when appropriate. Then, when she's finished, "That's weird," he decides. Then he breaks into a smile. "But hey, my best friend is a dinosaur, so what am I gonna say?"
"Daggers are my holy weapon," Faith says. He watches Sasha wield the odd sword.
"I think we should talk about these Mantis people, since several of them ... used to be here." He looks around. "But not right now."
Zaine makes note of the shipwrecks. "Guess we'll be hitting those as well. Hope there's some undead for Faith to fight."
"Here's to hoping!" Faith mimics raising a glass to toast with.
Faith throws his hands out to either side, palms backward. "Stop," he says in a conversational tone. "Snake."
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One afternoon, after a hard morning of hunting and fishing to provide supplies for the camp, Sasha leds you both to the blind she found, watching one of the dimorphodons tend to the three eggs in the aerie.
Zaine listens intently to Sasha, nodding when appropriate. Then, when she's finished, "That's weird," he decides. Then he breaks into a smile. "But hey, my best friend is a dinosaur, so what am I gonna say?"
Sasha smiles at Zaine for a moment before dropping the broken weapon, "It is weird. And sad, because I wasn't able to take the weapon I'd been trained on since I could walk."
She bites her lip, "If the captain survived her ship wrecking," she looks up the game trail, "I don't think she would have been taken out easily."
"I think we should be careful and not leave an obvious trail back to the cave."
Another mile down the beach lining the bay, you spot a house sized giant red and orange crab. The waves that crash on the white sand of the beach swirl around the creature's legs. As you get 'close' the crab begins to move, the pincers rise and fall and its legs twitch.
A little closer and the crab begins to make a horrible noise, a mix between ghoulish cry and a shriek of a bird.
.... and that isn't the way giant crabs move...
The snake stares at the group with unblinking eyes, waiting for the group to come close enough for it to perform its death from above maneuver.
Sasha smiles at Zaine for a moment before dropping the broken weapon, "It is weird. And sad, because I wasn't able to take the weapon I'd been trained on since I could walk."
She bites her lip, "If the captain survived her ship wrecking," she looks up the game trail, "I don't think she would have been taken out easily."
"I think we should be careful and not leave an obvious trail back to the cave."
"So there's potentially an assassin pirate captain gone mad from a year of isolation on this island?" Zaine shakes his head. "For a deserted island, this place is really busy."
Another mile down the beach lining the bay, you spot a house sized giant red and orange crab. The waves that crash on the white sand of the beach swirl around the creature's legs. As you get 'close' the crab begins to move, the pincers rise and fall and its legs twitch.
A little closer and the crab begins to make a horrible noise, a mix between ghoulish cry and a shriek of a bird.
Zaine drops to a knee and levels the musket, taking aim at the approaching decapod.
Zaine points the musket at the snake. "Unless someone has another idea, a bullet should solve this problem, feed us for a week, and give us enough material for new boots."
"Daggers are my holy weapon," Faith says. He watches Sasha wield the odd sword.
"Sooo..do you want it or not?" Áine asks, holding out the masterwork dagger now towards Faith. "I mean, it's a good blade, but I'd probably only use it for making arrows or cutting up food."
Sasha's eyes go a little wide, "Thats... more than I was planning on but it sounds good."
One afternoon, after a hard morning of hunting and fishing to provide supplies for the camp, Sasha leds you both to the blind she found, watching one of the dimorphodons tend to the three eggs in the aerie.
Áine stays quiet, watching. If she thinks they are far enough away, her hands keep busy fashioning shafts and attaching fletching or the blunted arrow heads she created in camp.
"That...is NOT any sound I've heard a crab make before." Áine says, staring at the enormous crustacean like thing, "I'd hazard a guess, things are not as they appear to be at first glance."
Zaine points the musket at the snake. "Unless someone has another idea, a bullet should solve this problem, feed us for a week, and give us enough material for new boots."
"New boots?" Áine says, "Aim for the head an' that things big enough to give some of us a whole damn new wardrobe as well."
She readies to add her arrows to Zaine's musketballs.
"So there's potentially an assassin pirate captain gone mad from a year of isolation on this island?" Zaine shakes his head. "For a deserted island, this place is really busy."
"That's even a scarier possibility. I was thinking we have two non-combatants at camp and something attacking people who set up camps."
Zaine drops to a knee, sights carefully along the musket, and fires.
Confirm crit
"That...is NOT any sound I've heard a crab make before." Áine says, staring at the enormous crustacean like thing, "I'd hazard a guess, things are not as they appear to be at first glance."
"Illusion then? Faith, is that something you can check on?"
"Illusion then? Faith, is that something you can check on?"
"It's not moving right for a crab." Áine shrugs, then scans the area all around them before focusing back on the crab thing. "Let's see what happens when it gets hit."
Áine draws her bow and sends an arrow flying towards the things face.