Lilo looks on as the Mists begin to fade..
Just before the mists begin to fade, you begin searching Tatrill. The first thing you notice is that he isn't wearing conventional armour; instead, he wears a bulky shirt stretched out over what appears to be an external rib cage. It only lasts a few "rounds" after the battle ends, however, before melting away.
On Tatrill's body you find a short sword of at least masterwork quality (which he never actually got around to using), and a light crossbow, also of at least masterwork quality. He also has several vials of liquids and two small leather purses. One purse contains coins (37 GP, 221 SP, 49 CP) while the other contains fire! Inside the pouch is a smooth river cobble with a continual flame enchantment on it.
While searching his body, you notice he is still bleeding out. Does anybody wish to stabalize him for questioning, or just let him bleed out?
Titus realizes the man is suddenly much lighter, and looks down at where Rommin's blade opened the saboteur's belly to let his guts fall steaming to the floor. Breathing hard, the old man releases Tatrill to fall unceremoniously into the pile of his own entrails, then walks to a barrel to sit down and take a breath. Maybe if Hobart were still around, we could heal 'im to a breathing state for a question and answer session.
Rorse leans over the assortment of things and points to the vials of liquid. "are any of you capable of picking out anti-venom? he looks for labels desperately, if worst comes to worst he will suggest they take them all up to Lord Brycen and call that falcon whats his name over. Hicorky's boss.
The vials do not contain any labels. One vial contains a tiny amount of a greasy black liquid, three contain full doses of a bluish goo, 2 vials of a milky-white liquid, and 2 vials of a clear liquid.
With a bit of running about like a headless chicken, you are able to locate Hickory, who hikes up her skirts and comes running down below. She comes up to examine the vials, but shakes her head. "I am sorry, Mr. Deepburrow, but I have no knowledge of poisons or other alchemical substances whatsoever. My areas of expertise are more in history, linguistics, and other forms of academic lore. But if we take these back topside for Falcon to examine, he might yet have the strength for a detect poison spell."
You gather up the vials and begin hustling topside. Inside Falcon's cabin, you see the older man twisting and groaning in his bunk, his sheets twisted and sweat-soaked. He looks completely ashen and pale. His eyes flutter open as you enter.
"Friends," he gasps. "What news have you?"
"The perpetrator of this evil deed is dead Sir..and we have recovered some items which may hold the cure but none of us have the skill or the knowledge to tell which is the antidote"
"Show me." He struggles to rise out of his bed. "Hickory, my dear, help me up." She gets him up into a sitting position. He casts a quick spell and examines the vials. The black one and the three blue ones he indicates are poison, the blue ones are blue whinnis, while the black one is a single dose of black tortoise tears. He then turns to the other vials, and looks thoughtful.
"Now if memory serves, the special antidote for black tortoise tears has a milky consistency, so this..." he takes one of those vials and drinks it down.
He casts the same spell again, this time on himself, and sighs in relief. "That was it. Quickly, get the other dose to Lord Brycen."
With that, he collapses back into his bed.
Rushing down the short corridor to Lord Brycen's cabin, you hear no response to your frantic knock. Fearing the worst, you push the door open and storm in. You find Lord Brycen in his bed, pale as a ghost, and unconscious.
Rolling him onto his back, you are able to coax the milky liquid down his throat, massaging it to encourage him to swallow.
Then, all you can do, is wait and see.
Titus stays grimly silent as the process of uncovering the antidote is carried out. Why do the Chelaxians want this to fail so badly? There must be more to this journey than a simple colonization. The espionage and subterfuge made the old man sick to his stomach. He makes a note of where the poisons are stored, and in whose keeping. Those vials would find their way into the ocean as soon as he got the chance. Poison was a woman's weapon, a tool of the weak.
Eriniyes stands staring at the necromancer. She says nothing of her ability to stabilize the dying spell caster.
Lilo shifts from foot to foot his face showing a look of concern.
It takes a good hour of waiting before you notice Lord Brycen's colour returning and his breathing begin to ease. He doesn't regain consciousness yet, but you feel that he is out of the woods.
Sir Kheiron is overjoyed at the news, and you find yourselves lifted up in massive centaur hugs, given meat-fisted slaps on the back, etc. Even more meaningful is the simple and sincere "Thank you," he gives you, his eyes filled with honest gratitude.
And then you are left to your own devices. Sir Kheiron makes his way into Brycen's cramped cabin to tend to him and wait for him to wake-up, Hickory shuts herself in with Falcon Gray to tend to him, and things seem to go back to normal quite quickly.
Captain Theodric is certainly appreciative of your efforts. Tatrill has since bled out in the lower hold and his body brought topside. All of Tatrill's gear is set aside for you all to pick and choose from, and then his body is unceremoniously tossed overboard.
Once you elect to return to Hobart's Prise, the boarding planks are lifted and the fleet once again sets sail for Arcadia.
Rorse calls Vero away from lord brycen as Lilo nears, He is pretty sure that he has grown to know the rest of the group to know well enough that they don't need protecting from them, but just to be sure.
I say we cast the necromancer into the sea,make sure he sinks to the bottom just to make sure he doesn't return in unlife.
The headless zombie is also tossed overboard. The zombie is wet with sea water and seaweed. You get a feeling of deja vu as you watch the zombie go overboard. You are fairly certain that the headless zombie was once the pirate captain, previously beheaded by Rorse.
Over time, both Lord Brycen and Falcon Gray recover fully from the effects of the poison, and regain their strength (constitution, actually).
A few days after the incident with Tatrill, Hickory presents the party with a small book, On Arcadia by Falcon Gray. In it, you find information Falcon Gray gleaned on his previous voyage to Arcadia on the geography, flora, fauna, and the political structures (or non-structures) of the native Skraelings. As an appendix to this treatise, he presents a lexicon of words in the Skraeling language (which he called "Skraeling Common" for something original), as well as some information on the language's grammar.
Your course over the next few weeks takes you occasionally within sight of some of the Azlanti Isles, although the fleet does its best to avoid them. While it might be tempting to stop and scavenge for fresh fruits and water, stories abound of vicious monsters which still haunt the islands millennia after the fall of the ancient empire, and unexplained magical currents which throw vessels onto rocks and sunken reefs.
After a month of travel, on the 69th day after Cassomir, the 13th of Sarenith, 4707 AR, Rommin, up in the crow's nest on look-out duty, spots a low smudge on the western horizon. Shortly after high noon it becomes clear and the call goes up.
"LAND HO!!!!!"
It is a truly wondrous sight. What first appeared as a speck on the western horizon soon expanded in both directions as far as the eye could see. Lush green hills and forests come into focus as you approach, and then as you get even closer, you see shear, rugged cliffs presenting an inhospitable wall between ocean and land. The navigator on the Lady Iona seems to have a clear idea where he's going, however, as the fleet begins angling northwards slightly.
About twenty minutes out from land, the ships slow and begin maneuvering much more carefully. The ocean on either side of the fleet breaks over rocks, both visibly sticking up out above the surface, and others just beneath. The hands at the wheels are steady and true, and no ship is ever in any danger.
Vero seems to sense a tense mood, however. Around the point when the ships start carefully picking their way through rocks and reefs, he makes his way to the very prow of the ship, puts his forepaws up on the railing, and begins to whine like a beaten dog. At a couple points, it seems to Rorse that his wolf might even hoist himself over the side and try to swim for it. While Rorse can coax him to remain on the ship, no amount of soothing seems able to calm his jittery steed.
It's about three in the afternoon when the fleet drops anchor roughly sixty feet from shore. You have arrived at a cobblestone beach where a small river tumbles and froths to empty itself into the ocean. Towering trees fill the land in all directions (with one truly enormous oak tree in particular almost dead in front of you, though back from the shoreline slightly), and you see no signs whatsoever of human habitation, or indeed, civilization of any kind. As far as you can tell from the decks of the ship, this is a completely untouched and pristine wilderness.
Rowboats are launched, not to head for shore straight away, but to bring you and others aboard the Lady Iona for a conference. All the usual players are there: Lord Brycen, Sir Kheiron, Harrolayne, Banker Camder, and Falcon Gray.
Lord Brycen is keen to strike out at once and make landfall, while Sir Kheiron believes that it would be much more prudent to scout the surrounding area first before His Lordship or any other of the colonial leadership should be placed at risk of whatever dangers there may be.
Harrolayne suggests that the band of prisoners be equipped and sent ahead as an advance scouting party - no loss to the colony if some ill fate should befall them. Camder and Falcon Gray both counter that the prisoners have not yet proven themselves trustworthy or truly committed to the cause, to which Harrolayne reluctantly concedes the point.
In the end, Lord Brycen himself suggests that the party from Hobart's Prize should have the honour of first setting foot in the New World. Everybody else agrees.
Sense Motive DC 15:
Sense Motive 1d20+5
4 miles
So with the decision made, you return to Hobart's Prize to collect your belongings, and then climb into your launch and head to shore.
Setting your feet upon the shores of Arcadia, you find yourself standing upon round, smooth cobbles. A small frothy river crashes into the incoming ocean waves (which according to Falcon's book, is called the Three Thunders River, although the book fails to say why). Sounds of bubbling water, swishing waves, and creaking branches serve to enhance the feelings of total isolation and pristine wilderness. You are not totally alone, however, as every dip in the off-shore breeze allows hoards of flying and buzzing insects to launch vicious assaults against you. Scents of pine needles, damp leaves, and sea salt fill your noses.
Rorse looks at Lilo as if he has lost his mind several times over. are you kidding me? we have all the rest of our lives to push in further along the river, but today, we have a chance to get off of these boats! Hold Vero, Hold. Vero seems more excited then most that there is land in sight. Rorse isn't sure if the beast thought they were ocean bound forever. The fields and trees becon to them both!
Oh! Oh thank the gods! I thought you went mad and didn't want to leave the ship. Rorse claps one of the hardworking saliors on the back. Sorry mate. It is a landlubbers life for me.
He nods to Lilo. Down the river it is then! That direction is as good as any.
"I meant that we walk along the river bank Rorse...we are here to scout the land aren't we?"
Up river it is. Rommin, eager to be on land once again, takes the lead, gently pushing aside branches and penetrating the forest. The forest is fairly light, consisting of oaks and firs, as well as other trees you don't recognize on sight, although they match the descriptions in Falcon's book: lindens, maples, and birches (according to the names Falcon gave these species).
The forest is quiet, very quiet, almost like it is waiting for some momentous occasion. Something is off about this place, but before you can really put your mind to figuring out what it is, you are distracted by the scent of wood-smoke from somewhere nearby.
Rommin has just been able to determine that the breeze carrying the scent is coming from the north, when a horrific roar fills the air (also from the north and very close), followed quickly by human screams of terror and pain.
Rommin:
Titus:
Rorse:
Vero:
Lilo:
Niesen:
Hickory:
Eriniyes:
Initiative:
Unknown Creature
Rorse
Niesen
Eriniyes
Lilo
Hickory
Rommin
Titus
You hear another vicious roar and a strangled scream of human pain.
Rorse digs his heels into Vero's side and charges northwards through the trees, drawing his greatsword as he does so. Bursting into a clearing, he sees an enormous beast with a limp human form in its jaws...err...beak. The creature is truly bizarre, with the body of an enormous bear, and the head of an eagle. The head sports brilliant white feathers and a vicious curved beak.
Niesen also begins moving towards the sound, drawing a dagger in each hand.
Eriniyes to act...
that is the sound of a fight waiting to happen with solid ground under our feet! Rorse shouts out as he taps his heels to Vero's side and the pair burst off into confrontation.
Lilo will spend this round running...16 squares straight forward and then 4 squares to his left.
Eriniyes casts her spell and moves forward. Lilo starts moving quickly (I'm afraid you can't run through the undergrowth, though you can double move 40 feet to the north.) Hickory follows right on his heels.
Rommin moves forward, followed by Titus.
The eaglebear bites down on the man in its beak, the sickly snapping sound audible across the clearing. It drops the body and turns its attentions on Rorse and Vero.
Rorse to act...
Round Two.
Lilo continues to push forward another 40'
charge Greatsord(+2 atk -2 ac)
Land! The old man's eyes actually watered up at the sight. If he never set foot on another boat, it would be too soon. The excitement was a contagious, living thing as the ship got closer and landing parties were put together. When Titus reached shore, he knelt to the ground and felt the grass, smiling like a fool. Now for a quiet life. Farm and build, and make things gr- The screaming and shrieking derailed his thoughts. He looked up and around, and followed his companions toward the sound. He grinned broadly at Rorse, sharing the halfling's sentiment. The creature before them was a strange one for sure, but the old man was still filled with the sudden need to beat this thing to death. He focused on the thing, intent on avoiding its nasty claws and beak, and moved in to punch the thing in its throat.
Attack
Damage