Smiles seeming to shake off his bad dreams and starts stretching. "Hey Aerys, I am going to do some morning exercises would you like to do some light sparing to loosen up some muscles this morning?"
"I'm starving!" Majest loudly states when she wakes up. She reaches into her backpack for some grub, and begins her morning munch routine.
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Ilarian comes out of his tent and starts to take it down. "It occurs to me that we will have to carry this stuff with us the whole way. It also occurs to me that that sounds like a huge waste of energy. I could create a horse to carry it for two hours each time. I have just less than fifty charges left, I'm sure it would be handy."
Abshail nods, then does some quick math in his head, "Traveling 8 hours a day would be at least 4 charges each day. It would certainly helpful, but would exhaust your wand quickly. Hopefully, though, it won't take all that many days to reach the lighthouse."
Aerys gives a shrug before walking over to go through a quick morning routine with Kabur. She seems happy for the distraction. Neither her nor Gelik seem to be too keen on the idea of traveling through the island. The fact that they have to doesn't make it any more palitable.
Shadak and the other castaways do their best to help out, and the decision to travel along the coast for as long as possible is deffinitly a relief to them. No one is eager to try traveling through the jungle.
Walking back into camp "Thanks Aerys, good workout." looking around the dismantled camp "So are we packing the equipment, our do you want to use your wand up? We might need it later in an emergency but of course up to you is your wand. Either way we need to get some traveling in before it gets too hot."
Aerys seems to enjoy her morning exercises and comes back to the camp in better spirits than when she left. Even Gelik seems to have come to terms a bit at least with the idea that he is stuck with these people and he'd better make the best of it. He whistles softly as he gets his things together and, while his words are not always without an unnecessarily cruel jibe, he seems more friendly than he has been since he was aboard the ship.
Still, even if most everyone seems to be getting along better, it is obvious that several of the castaways are still feeling the pressure of the threat they know themselves to be under. Aerys and Sasha look particularly skittish, jumping at small sounds and giving wary looks to the jungle.
Looking at the map just before heading out. "Hate to say this but we probably need to head straight across the jungle till we reach the other coast." Pulls on his beard while studying the map "I see three fairly good ideas for a path to travel." he points out the paths on the map as he talks. "We could do a long route and stick with the shore line all the rest of the way around, would be a lot more travel but clear land. We can go south when we hit this spot that looks like an old road and then either follow that road all the way to the lighthouse or cut east and try to float down the river to the lighthouse on whatever raft we can construct. Might want to make the decision based on what that road on the map looks like now. What do you all think?" steps back contemplating the map while pulling on his beard.
Carys tries to help around the camp when she wakes. She stops by some of the more shaken individuals, offering words of support if they need it. if applicable. "Let me know what I can carry. I agree that we should try to conserve what we have. Those horses might come in handy later." Her own gear is checked twice and prepared for travel as she munches down on some food, washing it down with a healthy dose of water. "Following the coast until we meet that road might be the best bet. Like Kabur said we can always make the decision about how to consider based on what it looks like... and how we are doing."
Nods at the comments "So to get this started lets take the mile or so across the peninsula until we are on the west coast and follow that down to the road.Even going easy we should be able to make that in a day it looks top be about 10 miles, maybe two days if we take it really easy." He pulls out a flask and takes a belt as he steps back from the maps and shrugs his pack into place. "That is if we can avoid any other trouble that may be out there." Flashes a big grin all around as he waits for the rest to gear up.
Sarai looks at the proposed routes and listens to everyone else give their ideas. "I agree as well. It seems like the most direct route to where we need to go, and since we don't know where the... natives are, we can't exactly plot our course accordingly." She gives a wide enthusiastic smile and walks off to get her pack.
As Abshail packs his things, he can be heard cursing the size of his portable laboratory. "Oh no, the traveling kit's not good enough, you needed to bring the whole lab.... idiot...". Once packed, however, he is in remarkably good spirits, for being trapped on an island populated by ghosts and cannibals with little hope of rescue.
With gear stowed and any camp gear strapped to her pack, Carys readies her longbow. "This should be a pleasant trip. Anyone know any travelling songs?"
It takes nearly two hours to travel the mile of jungle to the other side of the island. The undergrowth is thick, and the trees never seem to want to let you travel in a straight line, forcing you to veer back and forth. Occasionally you even find yourselves backtracking as you stumble into an area of particularly heavy brush or a ravine not marked on the crude map you're trying to follow.
Added to the annoyance and fatigue of travel is the nearly constant presence of insects of all kinds. Flying and crawling all around you, they seem to despise the idea of intruders.
In fact, it takes no longer than those two hours to get the distinct impression that the island is alive with loathing towards you, angry at your intrusion and determined to do whatever it can to make your stay here as miserable as possible.
The end of the two hours pays off. In a manner of speaking.
As you reach the other side, you find yourselves at the top of a one hundred foot cliff, dropping away into the surf below you. Looking out, you can see the several smaller islands that form the chain to the west of the main island peeking over the bay that laps at the feet of your perch.
However, you can also see a spot, perhaps four miles south down the coast where the cliff looks like it backs away from the water, leaving a bit of beach that you may be able to follow.
Shadak takes point for much of the trip, along with Sasha. Both of them disappearing for most of the time, coming back only as the rest of the party nears the cliff edge.
"Follow cliff?" he asks as much as states. He doesn't seem to see many other options.
Sarai spends the entire two hours with one of her finely wrought scimitars grasped in hand. Occasionally she uses it to smack a branch or vine out of her way, but for the most part it just seems to make her feel better having it handy. The jungle being so close, it's easy to imagine how they could stumble right up to something and never see it.
Picks a twig out of his beard and flicks it over the edge watching it fall "Long way down" he mutters. "Works for me as long as we are making some kind of progress. If you two hunters could be on a lookout for an afternoon campsite that would be grand as well." Hitches his pack up a bit to settle it on his back again and starts to follow the cliff south.
Travel along the cliff face is just as if not more difficult than the trip through from the other coast was. The jungle makes it nearly impossible to keep a straight line and the uneven cliff edge doesn't help either. More often than not you find yourselves hacking through dense underbrush nearly a hundred yards from the cliff edge, just to make any kind of headway.
As you travel the heat only gets worse and it soon becomes readily apparent that you will be forced to stop for a time after lunch to wait for it to cool off before proceeding. Everyone is abundantly grateful for Jask and his water, no matter what their opinions of his potential guilt.
It is nearing time to stop for lunch when you find yourselves once again at the edge of the cliff, traveling along a relatively easier portion of clearer growths, when Sasha cries out in delight, pointing off over the cliff and into the sky over the bay. The sound brings the entire group to a halt to find what it is exactly that she is pointing at.
There floating in large lazy circles over the water are three large winged but reptilian looking forms. Not dragonoid, though at first glance it might appear so. More like large leathery skinned birds of some kind, about six feet long from their overly large heads to the tips of their long tails.
Aerys gives a shake if her head. "I think I remember hearing about them. Big lizard birds... I think I heard they were poisonous, so I wouldn't want to go out of my way to bother them."
Sasha gives Ilarian a scowl, but it isn't various serious, then at Aerys' words she brightens considerably. "Eatible?? But they're adorable! I wonder if we could manage to get one..." She turns to Ilarian and gives him her most charming smile. "I'd be soo grateful if you could catch one for me before we leave. I promise I'll keep it under control. You wont even know it's around."
laughs at the conversation "Don't know about keeping one as a pet, lets just leave em alone and get down to some serious resting. It's way to hot to go on right now. I say we set midday camp and spread out some canvas so that we have shade." looks around pulling on his beard "Least if something wants to get at us we should be able to see it." sets down his back pack and helps to set up some shade to rest under while taking an occasional swig from his flask.
Carys watches the creatures flying around, "Hmmm.. poisonous. Maybe you should reconsider keeping one as a pet." She nods in agreement with Kabur and starts to help him set up the equipment for shade.
"Oh, come now. Poisonous giant flying lizards make great pets, at least they would if you had need of lots of giant flying lizard poison."
Sasha gives an exasperated look to the naysayers but sidles a bit closer to the half-elf. "I would be so grateful if you could. I think it would make an excellent pet, and if properly trained, could be a valuable ally here."
Sasha Smiles warmly and takes the offered hand, giving it a firm shake. "Deal. If you can manage to get me one of them to tame, I will certainly owe you in the future. As long as it is something within my power to give you." She gives him a wink then heads off to help with setting up the afternoon camp, her eyes drifting more than once back to the flying beasts.
Shaking her head at the conversation between Sasha and Ilarian, Sarai still can't help but smile. At least the talk isn't about how doomed they are. She does he best to help in getting the makeshift shelter up, and is more than happy to pick out a nice spot along the cliff in the shade to sit and rest while she eats lunch.
Mumbles a bit while working on the shelter. If listening you can hear words such as "crazy" "lizards" and "poisonous" being mumbled under his breath. Once the canvas is up he settles down with his head on his pack. "Wake me when this heat lets up a bit."he asks to all in general and attempts to nap despite the heat.
Everyone settles into the camp, with Shadak taking it upon himself to set a few traps and alarms in the surrounding jungle while Gelik takes his turn at making a bit of lunch for everyone.
Everyone is thankful for the cool water, courtesy of Jask and Ilarian, and after a brief meal, those same people are just as thankful for whatever shade they can find nearby. Watches are set, and while those whose duty it is to keep a wary eye do so, the others drowse.
As the temperature starts to come down a bit Kabur moves to sit down near Ilarian. While watching the lizards gliding on the hot updrafts he turns slightly toward him. "You can't really be serious about trying to catch one of those things are you? This isn't exactly a pleasure trip and they look more dangerous than helpful." He looks out again at the lizards, "I am not an animal tamer but it doesn't seem to be something that should be attempted when we are all just trying to survive."
After enjoying the food and water, Carys lays down to try and grab some much needed rest. Despite her best efforts the conversation keeps her from really falling asleep. "The last thing we need is someone getting poisoned. It will be hard enough without having to carry dead weight." Following Kabur's gaze she shields her eyes from the sun and mumbles something about a wide brim hat. "Maybe we can come back later.. when we are safe. I doubt they are going anywhere."
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Ilarian says, "There might be a way to magically dominate one long enough for Sasha to do her thing, tame it or something. If she succeeds, we have a potential ally. If she fails, well are you afraid of a flying lizard good dwarf?" He chuckles, and leans in to whisper. "Besides. When she gets the damned reptile, I plan on having her teach me swordplay and the like. If I run out of magic for the day, I don't think I can help too much beyong potshots with a crossbow."
Shakes his head stubbornly, "Self defense practice of one kind or another is good for any individual. Bringing yourself to the attention of large, and possibly poisonous predators is generally not good." Shrugs his shoulders "But that's just my opinion..." He glances to the west where the sun is slowly starting to drop from it zenith. "Besides looks like we need to get going pretty soon, are you suggesting we delay while you attempt a spell on one of them?" While speaking he gets up stretches looking around at what needs to be done to get them back on the trail.
The afternoon passes, hot and humid, and even after the temperature cools, it takes much effort on nearly everyone's part to get moving again. Gelik is the loudest complainer, of course, but even he seems to realize that there is nothing to be served by sitting around on the edge of a cliff face.
The rest of the afternoon is spent clambering around rocks and through jungle, keeping as much as possible to the edge of cliff so as not to loose the way. As the sun begins to set out over the water below, the haze over the water breaks just enough that everyone can just make out several more islands out across the bay.
One island in particular stands out to everyone. Where the rest of Smuggler’s Shiv is a luscious green and a riot of jungle sounds, this island is a silent gray scar on the horizon. From afar, it looks to be covered in trees, but there must be something seriously wrong with them.
Steps to one side of the trail as the scouts look about for a campsite. "Now that is one island i am glad not to be stranded on." he grumbles as he wipes the sweat from his bald head. "If i had to pick a spot for the supposed undead of the area to be from that Island would be it!"
Sarai comes up beside Kabur as he gazes out at the island, shielding her eyes with one hand. "I can't disagree with you. It certainly looks dead itself." She points one finger out over the water towards the island's southern tip. "If you look close, you can see other small islands connecting it to the western spur of our own." She shrugs a bit and claps Kabur on the back. "Perhaps we'll have a chance to run into them yet."
Grumbles "I could really do without meeting a single undead creature if its just the same to you." and turns away from the island view, but can't stop himself from glancing back at it from time to time.
"Let's try to get ourselves out of danger before we go looking for more... please." Carys chuckles softly and shakes her head. "We're making good progress. Hopefully there we can find some sort of civilization that isn't looking to kill us. Then there is still the mystery of how we came to be shipwrecked. I for one would like to get some answers."