"Oysters!" Alis' excitement is palpable. Before her stalwart cousin knows what she is up to, the princess hands him King Tut and wading out into the water, disappearing beneath the waves before he can get a word in edgewise.
Minutes pass.
Now and again, Darvesch spots a golden head breaking the surface of the water before diving right back under. Just when he is beginning to get concerned though, she finally emerges, both hands cupping what he initially mistakes as a pile of smooth rocks to her ample chest.
Without delay, she marches up to a large, flat rock, kneels, and leans forward causing a clatter as at least a dozen oysters she had collected spill from her bodice. Standing proudly, hands on her hips, she announces, "Lunch!" before her eyes go wide and spins about to fish a few more out.
Face only slightly red, she tosses one to Darvesch, another to Tut. Waving a third in the air, she remarks, "'Sis and I used to love it when they were fresh from the sea like this... Do you have a sack we can use to carry the rest in while we walk?"
Still sitting on Darvesch's knee, Tut snatches his out of the air, shakes it a few times and then tries to bite it. He gives a loud, "EENH!" at the salty, rock-like contraption and frowns deeply as he tries in vain to use the edge of the dwarf's shield to wedge it open.
"I have some room in my pack. I'm sure the others will be glad we got these. Unless you intend to keep these to ourselves." He chuckles. He looks at Tut, "My shield isn't a kitchen utensil! Use a rock! He sighs.
Time: 5:30db (morning, 11:30am)
King Tut looks up at Darvesch, seemingly frowning at the reprimand.
He then points at dwarf's head, gives an, "Ooo ooo ooh!" and then makes the motion of knocking the oyster on it.
With a loud, "AAA AAAH!" he then hops off his knee and into his mistress' arms, holding out the strange smooth rock expectantly.
[ REAVER'S SHIV: Map | Position (034 - Oyster Beds) | Overland Rules ]
"Tuuut!" Alis gives a short sigh of disbelief at her pet monkey's bad behavior. "That's not nice, you apologize to Frændi, go on!"
In protest, the little fellow chirps and hoots up a storm, but the princess is implacable. At length, he finally climbs back down and walks over, tail between his legs before holding the oyster in his teeth and giving the much bigger dwarf a hug.
"Aaoooo..."
"OK, that's more like it. Good boy."
As the water-logged blonde pries open his treat with a jewel-hilted mithril dagger, she answers Darvesch's question, "I thought we could have them while we walk. It's not a whole lot, I know, but I'm hoping that the others will have already enjoyed their midday meal before we arrive."
Kneeling once more, she reorganizes some items in one of the side pockets of her little backpack before dumping her catch inside. "We can just use mine, it's fine."
With that, you resume you walk, snacking on oysters and some fruit as you go. Within an hour, you see yet another wreck up ahead and what can only be Parrot Island. "Shouldn't be long now..."
Sense Motive Checks:
Survival Checks
Survival Checks
"Good. I wonder how the others are getting along without us." Darvesch wonders aloud. He follows the trail to their destination, walking slower than his elven cousin. Darvesch tries to keep up by walking slightly faster than his usual pace, almost jogging at times.
Lureene wakes up early (very unusual for her) and stretches her arms and wings out as she lays ensconced in her bedroll, enjoying the early morning rays of sunlight shining down. Looking up towards the sky she sees more clouds looming. Great, more rain.
As she stirs, she looks across the campsite and sees Jask still slumbering while Gelik peruses the book. Sasha is out of her view but she surmises the huntress is out preparing breakfast for the others.
Good, Darv has not arrived yet so that means I have time to sleep in... She curls her wings around herself and closes her eyes to catch a few more hours of shuteye.
I do feel bad about that lie I told Sash. Maybe I should apologize later... she thinks as slumber claims her again.
All through the night, sheltering from the rain, and into the daylight Gelik pored over the journal, scribbling notes and biting his finger to avoid exclamations of joy and surprise. When Lureene poked her head out of her tent earlier, affording a prime opportunity for a down-blouse gaze, the studious little scholar didn't even so much as look up. It was only when she whispered to him that he pumped his fist in excitement saying, in hush tones, "This is it, Lureene, this is the Nightsong! This find might be just what I need to get back in the good graces of the academy! Haha!"
It had been many hours since then. Jask had gotten up to say his morning prayers, Sasha had fixed breakfast then snuggled up with the succubus for a nap, yet still Gelik kept reading and notating. At one point, Jask had offered to take over while the gnome ate and rested, but he was shooed away as if by a jealous lover.
When the women finally emerged, the weather too hot to sleep thru, Gelik clapped the book shut, smearing ink across his right cheek as he rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands.
"Wow, it's after noon already! Have you really been reading that old thing all this time, Gel?"
Lureene vaguely remembers the gnome mentioning the old Academy vessel when they group had been first shipwrecked. I am sure ‘Lis will be fascinated to learn of this…
She walks over to Gelik, looking over the sprightly fellow with a cool practiced gaze. ”Sooo Gel, that wreck is the Nightsong? I am glad we were able to locate that wreck, and I am sure Princess Alis will be most intrigued to learn of this as well.” Her gaze grows more intense as she adds, ”Were you able to determine anything further concerning the fungal blight?”
Jask shrugs and motions with a long, thing hand. "I offered him rest, and was ignored like a some curbside beggar."
Time: 2:00md (midday, 2:00pm)
Gelik ignores Jask's apologies and instead gives a sigh of satisfaction. Looking up at the now fully clothed blonde, he says, "I learned a good deal about that actually."
He takes out his pipe, adds a pinch of something to it bowl and lights it with a snap of his fingers, enjoying a long draw before patting the journal's cover. "A few decades back, the Nightsong vanished mysteriously during an attempted a voyage around the southern coast of Ur-Nár. Now were that all you heard, you might suppose that it was lost along the vastness of the open sea, but you would be mistaken. There were at least two other vessels that had sighted the Nightsong on her return voyage after she had already entered the Gulf of Dafar."
"Some theorized that Reavers might have sacked her, others that the sailors on those vessel mistook a different ship for her. However, one supposition that was fairly popular for a time was that she was lost to The Shiv." He wags a finger towards the ground. "Obviously that was where her voyage came crashing to an end, but that's not where she was lost!"
"Far past the Zuktol Wilds, they came upon a strange leathery pod in a seaside cavern. Thinking that it was perhaps the egg of some primordial leviathan, they took it hoping to add to their cryptozoological discoveries — which included those strange flying reptiles that Sasha was enamored of."
He blows a smoke ring and motions for Lureene to sit down whereupon he climbs onto her lap, leaning his tired head back against her, eyes closed, as he continues. "As it turns out, it was no egg at all but a spore sac! Not long after their vessel entered Desperation Bay, the pod burst open infecting nearly the entire crew. Only the captain, Havner Ames, the same man who penned this log, managed to resist, helpless to watch as his crewmen succumbed. Yet that was not the end of it!"
"The strange pod has closed up and was pulsing with a foul, alien life as if replenishing its spores. The captain knew that it must never reach the coast, yet without anyone able to man her sails, the Nightsong was adrift and on a course that would send it hurtling into the coast of Dafar! Knowing the horror that might result if it were found by another else or, Heaven forbid, the ship crashed into Port Eldarion, it was all the brave captain could do to alter the large ship's heading for a place that was already accursed — Reaver's Shiv."
"As the ill-fated vessel drew close to luminous green surf surrounding the island, he spied a spire of rock jutting from the western side of a small sub-island walling off a great tidal pool. Although his last entry was delirious and he was surely injured by the impact against the rocks, it seems that the good captain's intention was to hide it there in a sea-side cave just as his own men had found it."
The short bard gives a relaxed sigh as he finishes his tale. He replaces the pipe in his teeth, and leans his head back, comfortably cushioned by Lureene's cleavage. He is silent for a long while, puffs of smoke occasionally wafting from his lips until you finally hear the heavy breathing of one who has fallen asleep.
Stealth Checks
"Poor Gelik," Alis comments, brushing his cheek with her hand, "he put everything he had into that story!"
All of you start when you see Alis appear, seemingly from behind Lureene's wings. In confusion, Sasha and Jask crane their necks and see Darvesch hustling not too far behind, armor glinting in the hot sun.
With a smile, Alis leans down and whispers something in the wizardess' ear.
With a wink, she gives her friend a kiss on the cheek and asks, "Did you miss me, or did you enjoy your vacation?"
Darvesch chuckles at Alis' comment to Lureene. "Now now. You can wait till we're finished with our business at hand to enjoy yourselves."
He looks to the group with a stone look on his face "Has everyone eaten? Let's be about our business. I grow weary of this island."
Lureene was fascinated and horrified more than a little bit by the story told by Gelik, and for once did not mind the intimate contact from the exhausted gnome. She nearly jumps out of her shoes as the Princess announces her presence.
She whispers quietly back to Alis, a mixture of relief and concern in her voice. As Darvesch comments here, she blushes slightly.
Raising her voice slightly, she adds ”I am VERY concerned about that pod the crew found though. We need to find it and destroy it!”
He looks to the group with a stone look on his face "Has everyone eaten? Let's be about our business. I grow weary of this island."
Lureene smiles in response to the dwarf’s exclamation. ”I could not agree with you more, Darv! We could have used your axe against those plant men earlier. Fortunately, Gelik here came to our rescue!” She takes great pains not to awaken the sleeping gnome as she gently lays the gnome down on her bedroll.
She then turns to Darvesch, ”We found a sash amongst the possessions of the former captain and crew. I think this item will prove useful should we run into any more of those plantmen!”
"Thank you, Lureene." He graciously accepts the gift and promptly puts it on.
"Now now. You can wait till we're finished with our business at hand to enjoy yourselves."
"My, what sharp ears you have. Why one might think you're related to elves!" Alis says with a wink. When he dons the bold sash that Lureene hands him, she nods approvingly. "Yes, definitely some elvish influence in you — can't imagine where it comes from though."
-6 full plate + 1 armor expert + 2 armor training + 3 mithril = 0
I've adjusted the Party Matrix and removed the armor check penalty from all relevant skills. I've also applied the +5 bonus from the Ring of Swimming.
Perhaps glad that he's not privy to whatever the younger ones are talking about, Jask simply answers Darvesch's question. "Ms. Nevah has already provided our repast. The tide is beginning to rise again, we should be underway soon."
Gesturing to the tent in which Lureene laid the exhausted gnome, he states, "We shall not be leaving him alone while he sleeps. There are monitor lizards and worse here, even while the sun beats down. Who shall remain with him?"
"Hmm..." Sasha frowns a bit. "Well we can't leave you here with him, at least not by yourself. Darvie, you're pretty good at getting along outdoors, right? I mean you and Lissi got here ok and all."
She flips her hair over her shoulder and sighs. "I've got to be honest, those green guys were just a pain in the ass — no fun to fight at all. I guess I'll stay here and keep Gel' company."
"OOH!" She grabs Lureene by the arms, eyes lighting up. "Gel and I can plan my parrot business when he wakes up! Do you think he'll be out long?"
Alis arches a golden eyebrow and silently mouths the words 'parrot business' to Lureene with a questioning look in her eyes.
"That sounds like a fine idea, Sasha, and yes, Darvesch is a rather good trailblazer actually — not that following the cliffs and looking for a sea cave should be too terribly difficult. At least I'd assume that's the plan anyway."
Fingering the missive that Gelik sent last night, the princes says, "Lureene, Frændi, a question for you in private if you please."
Once the three of you are out of earshot of the other three, Alis asks quietly. "I'm wondering if we should leave Jask here to look after Sasha and vice versa. From what Gelik reported, it sounds like he's something of a... liability. What do the two of you think, forge onward without a dedicated healer, or bring him along? I do still have my wand."
Lureene chews on her hair as she thinks of the best way to respond. While she would certainly agree with Gelik’s assessment on Jask, she also knew he was a man of deep convictions and a strong sense of duty. If this was not the case, then what was he doing here on Silent Island to begin with?
”’Lis, I know first-hand how ill-suited Jask is to the adventuring life…but I do not feel comfortable searching for a poisonous sac without some way to stop, or at least delay the onset of the spores. I think his spells will be too valuable a resource to leave behind.” She abruptly realizes her hair is in her mouth and hastily removes it. She looks into Alis’ eyes and continues, ”Plus, I think it would hurt his feelings if we told him his services were no longer valued. It would be like if I told you I did not need you since…well I know I am not very good outdoors, I would get lost in a heartbeat if Sash were not with me. But I manage anyway. I think we should let Jask do the same.”
She glances back to where Jask waits with Sasha and Gelik. ”If you are still concerned about Jask, let me be his escort. I will make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble, ‘Lis.”
"I'm not convinced it's a good idea. But Lureene has a point. His skills are too valuable for this particular mission. I say let him come if he chooses." Darvesch says.
Alis nods at their input. "Very well then."
As the three head back to the others, the princess asks, "Jask, was your intention to stay here, or to accompany the rest of us?"
The old man seem puzzled by the question, but answers plainly. "To accompany you, of course. I came here to be of aid, not to hide behind the back of nobles and royalty."
"Just making certain, let's be on our way then. Take care, Sash', gods willing we'll be back shortly. El, let's swap swords once we're across."
With that, the four strike out across the slick, seaweed-covered causeway leading to Silent Island even as waves lap as their calves and ankles. In the space of a few minutes, they have vanished from the ranger's sight even as the causeway quickly disappears beneath the rising tides.
Time: 5:00md (afternoon, 5:00pm)
For the next three hours you canvass the western cliffs of Silent Island searching for sea-side caves, spires of rock, anywhere that a desperate, dying, and delirious man might try to hide something.
It is as you approach a sharp corner on the isle's western edge that Darvesch notices something strange. Not far from its rocky shore, perhaps only 90-feet away, a 50-foot high pillar of fungus-covered rock thrusts up from the surf, angling away from the main body of the larger island on which you stand. The rock is connected to the main island by thick tangles of fibrous fungus, perhaps providing a way to cross the rising surf below.
Survival Checks
Survival Checks
Survival Checks
[ REAVER'S SHIV: Map | Position (035 - Fungal Spire) | Overland Rules ]
Jask frowns at the discovery. "It is just like at the wreck of that doomed ship. That last spur, the one we passed an hour ago, it had no such growths bridging the gulf between it and the cliffs."
Lureene looks over at the fungal 'bridge' with a look of idle curiosity on her face. As Jask mentions this discovery, she nods slowly. "Yeah, this definitely is what we saw earlier at the Nightsong. Odd we have not encountered any vegepygmys yet..."
She turns to Alis, who cannot help but notice that golden lock of hair has once again appeared in Lureene's mouth. "'Lis I think this could be what we are looking for, but I am concerned about the Captain being overwhelmed by the spores if he made it this far. Maybe I should send Grak in to have a peek before we all risk discovery here."
Alis nods as does Jask. "Sounds like a good plan. Do you think invisibility is called for, or not?"
Lureene thinks for a moment, then nods again. "I do indeed. This spore sac the Captain carried sounds like it would take measures to defend itself by infecting creatures with its spores like the former crewmembers. Any advantage we can gain by surprise will be useful here."
Lureene idly runs her hand along her sword belt and abruptly realizes she is still carrying Alis' rapier, or rather Alis' mother's treasured rapier. She takes it out and hands it to the Princess.
"Thanks for allowing me to use it, although it is not very effective against those plant men." She takes her old rapier back and slides it into her scabbard. The old blade had certainly seen better days but she remembers carrying it all the way from Khaledrun and she still feels a sentimental attachment to the blade.
As Grak flies over to receive the protective spell from his mistress, she thinks of other protective measures the group can take here. 'Lis, do we still have those antitoxin vials? Those will prove handy I'll bet."
"I was wondering when you were going to give that back," Alis chides, swapping swords with her friend. "And yes, I do have those vials on me."
From her pack, she produces a handful of crude ceramic flasks and hands them out.
"Grak and Tut are tiny so they should be able to share a d– oh gods!" The princess winces something fierce as she gets a whiff of the noxious concoction.
Maybe it would be better to just risk getting poisoned...
Pinching her nose, Alis downs the elixir in a single gulp, choking on the bitter white liquid. King Tut looks none too enthused by his mistress' reaction and does his level best to squirm out of it. "Sorry your majesty, but it's for your own good. Now– hold– still."
After a few moments of struggling, Alis finally manages to pin the little bundle of energy and force him to swallow a sip.
pinned
"EEEH! FEEEH! PLLLBT– PLLLBT– PLLLLLLLLLLBBBBT!!!"
For nearly a minute after she lets him go, Tut tears ass around the area making raspberries as he tries to get the taste out of his mouth until he angrily snatches a piece of fruit Alis tosses to him as she wipes monkey spittle from her eyes.
"Hrrrmp..."
"Well that was... charming."
Thankfully Lureene has a somewhat easier time of it with Grak.
"This smell," Jask gives a low sigh before downing his, "it recollects the root paste we would have to hold under our tongue when we misbehaved at the temple when this old man was but an acolyte... many years ago."
Lureene nearly gags on the foul concoction as she swallows it down.
I thought a demonic heritage was supposed to give you an iron stomach!
"Gaaahhhh....this stuff tastes horrible! 'Lis do you have any more fruit left?"
"Not for long," she says with a smirk, handing out bananas and kiwi fruit to practically everyone. She notes with that only her Frændi seems to be unfazed by the acerbic brew.
Once everyone has gotten the taste out of their mouths and Tut has been placated, receiving a back-scratch while draped over her shoulder, she holds out her other hand and strokes the top of Grak's head. "Alright Grak, when I cast my spell you'll only remain invisible for about a minute so don't daly! Fly a circuit around that outcropping and spy what you can before it wears off. Do you understand?"
She looks to Lureene to see if the succubus needs to clarify the matter to her familiar or not. "Let me know when, El."
Lureene murmers a spell and proceeds to touch Grak's silvery white wing. Soon a faint glow surrounds him.
"OK, Grak, you know what to do. If you do see anything you do not understand, let me know and I will bond senses with you."
On the questioning looks from the others, she replies "I have the ability to share all of Grak's senses for about half a minute or so each day. It is like I become him in a way. If I can see what he sees, it would give us an added edge."
Theme: Touch of Madness
"Yesss misssstressss, yesss princccessss. Grak ssscoutsss ssswiftly..."
Upon receiving both Lureene's protection and Alis' invisibility, the eidolon flaps off as quickly as his leathery little wings can carry him. As he flies across the gulf, he can see that the bridge the other must cross joins a narrow pathway covered in the same dense fungus as the island on which they stand. He follows it around counterclockwise keeping above it as he circles around.
Grak has nearly made a full circle around the jutting spire when he locates a narrow cave entrance on the south-west side facing the sea — the same direction from which the Nightsong must have approached so many years ago.
Breathing heavily, he pauses, attempting to peer into the darkness even as the descending sun glares down into the entrance.
'Misssstressss, there is a cave on the sssunny ssside. I don't sssee any pygmiesss...'
Stealth Checks
MAP: S-The Fungal God, (Round 08)
Darvesch smells the vial, shrugs as if confused by everyone's reaction, and quaffs the antitoxin as easily as he would ale. "I don't know what all the fuss is about." He prepares his axe and shield, waiting for battle to break out.
Lureene nods in acknowledgement to the message received.
OK, Grak, have a look inside, I am going to bond with you...
Lureene sends her concciousness through her link to Grak and is soon experiencing the sensation of flight, straining his wings with the effort to stay aloft. She lets her senses merge with Grak's senses and peers into the cave depths....
Grak flies up to the cave entrance then flies 20-ft inside, leathery wings invisibly beating at the air. A bright shaft of light from the descending sun paints a bright swath down the center of the cave entrance leaving the sides in contrasting shadow. Thick strands of fungus, almost like cobwebs crisscross the passageway, waving and writhing far more than they should just from the air currents stirred up by Grak's wings.
Looking thru his eyes, neither Lureene nor Grak can see anyone or anything patrolling the passageway. However, it does turn to the east and out of sight just up ahead, narrowing as it goes.
Beside Lureene, Alis asks, "Is Grak clear yet? My spell won't last much longer."
MAP: S-The Fungal God, (Round 10)
Despite the fact Grak cannot sense any creatures in the area, the sense of unease grows in him, echoed by his mistress. As she leaves his body, the unspoken command is met with a sense of relief by him.
Return to us as quickly as possible, Grak.
As Grak turns to go, he hears a tearing sound and notices two vegepygmies tear themselves free of the surroundings looking around for the source of whatever is disturbing the air. Fighting down a sense of panic, he carefully glides back out of the cave diving over the edge of the precipice to put himself out of sight and banking sharply to avoid notice just as Alis' invisibility spell wears off.
'Jussst in time, Misssstressss, jussst in time...'
Stealth Checks
MAP: S-The Fungal God, (Round 12)
Lureene does not hear Alis' question, being bonded with Grak. Only after she has rejoined her own body and Alis has repeated her question does she respond.
"Yes, 'Lis he made it just in time it sounds like. He found a cave entrance on the southwest side of the island, and it is guarded by the plantmen."
She looks at the fungal bridge that separates the manin island from the rocky spire. "Do we trust that bridge?"
There is a twinkle in Alis' eyes as she answers. "Hmm, its workmanship does look somewhat suspect, doesn't it? The good news is, there's nice sharp rocks in the surf if it breaks."
Lureene smirks in reply, "Yes, I am sure Darv's armor would cushion his fall quite nicely, and the water would wash away any bloodstains very quickly. How convenient!"
She reaches across her back and touches her pack. "We can use that climbing rope I have to help cross here, if that bridge is unsound. What say you, Darv?"