What? How did they make friends with the cannibals. They weren't exactly the "come and stay with us" type with us.
Gwen, I'm sorry, I know this place is unpleasant but Abadar's Oath its our only chance of getting off this rock. C'mon once we burn every shred of their stuff and clean this place up you'll feel better.
"Completely understandable, but this lighthouse may be our best chance to get off of this island. We must stay long enough to make it functional."
Good Ambroze, perhaps you could give me a hand determining the nature of these potions I found?
"But of course, Gwen. Let me take a look..."
"Hmmm. The grey ones are curative potions , but I can't tell what these green ones are. Is that blood floating in them? Looks pretty disgusting - I don't think I could drink one!"
Chi spends some time looking at the potions, and after sometime of talking to the ginger cat speaks, "Ambroze, I think if you look closely, you'll find that the blood crystals are all part of the restorative qualities of the potion. Giving it the potency to revive the body or mind to its full potential."
By this time the tropical rain has stopped as suddenly as it started. Marching at the head of the small convoy of heavily laden castaways, Ishorou lays down the large amount of gear he was carrying as the other castaways arrive at the camp. By this point, human flesh (both cannibal and their victims) is burning atop a great fire in the centre of the camp, the fire requiring constant tending to not ignite any of the wooden buildings nearby. The other castaways shout greetings at you and set their loads down, resting by the warm fire and attempting to warm the wet chill out of their clothes and bodies. Gelik looks over the camp with a critical eye, and for once has little to critiscize; nodding approvingly at your attack and its outcome.
Marcus stands firewatch, keeping the sleeve of his increasingly tattered looking coat over his mouth and nose and trying unsuccessfully to keep the smell of burning flesh from his nostrils. His thoughts wander to his last really good meal, enormous jacket potatoes, suckling pig with gravy ... and then he has to hold back a strong urge to vommit when he realises how his stomache is starting to respond to the smell...
Not if the only other choice is sand! He declares to noone in particular.
He tries to hide his excitement when Sasha and the other arrive, waving nonchalantly.
After the initial jubilation at the arrival of the rest of the castaways, Chi begins once more to get down to business and help with the pyre. After a while Chi listens to her mentor and nods to him as once more she discusses the armor and weapon with the ginger cat and the magical properties contained within. She and the ginger cat examine the items.
Both the armour and weapon bear minor enhancements- +1.
Gwen approaches Jask, bearing his holy symbol.
Teacher, I believe this belongs to you. May you never be parted with it again.
"Really cat, the chainmail and scimitar are both magical, you say. I thought I felt it too." says Chi after some time. "Hey Gwen, Ambroze, you seen magical items like these before? Do you think they will be useful for anyone?"
Chi, sits down after all the magic she has performed, "You know, this has been a really tiring day...." her voice peters out into a whisper, as her eyes close and she takes 40 winks.
Ahh... Thankyou Gwen. With this lighthouse secured we should be able to signal ships along the shipping lanes. It might take a while for one to come with this island's reputation but... Wait, do you hear something?
Glancing to the east, Jask quickly gathers everyone.
Look! he hisses, and for a moment you see nothing. Then you see it- bolts of lightning from somewhere on Red Mountain; bolts of lightning lancing up INTO the sky rather than coming from the sky to the ground. This happens a few more times before there is an audible pause- and then you hear a loud, rumbling sound like thunder coming from the same direction; echoing over the island.
.......Oh I don't like the looks of that.......
Wait, do you hear something?
Glancing to the east, Jask quickly gathers everyone.
Look! he hisses, and for a moment you see nothing. Then you see it- bolts of lightning from somewhere on Red Mountain; bolts of lightning lancing up INTO the sky rather than coming from the sky to the ground. This happens a few more times before there is an audible pause- and then you hear a loud, rumbling sound like thunder coming from the same direction; echoing over the island.
Ambroze looks toward Red Mountain and is astounded by the strange effects. The scholarly gnome wracks his brain in an attempt to make sense of what he is seeing.
Your confident theres nothing natural about lightning flying up from the ground- you wonder where its emanating from...
Chi wakes as the sounds and sights of the crackling mountain reach her. She looks long and hard, the ginger cat shakes and shivers as she holds him in her arms. "Come now cat, you are safe with me. What can you tell me you see?" But the cat just continues to be afraid and shiver at the display of power on the mountain. "I know 'tis not natural is it, but have cheer cat, for we are amongst friends" Just as another bolt of lightening streaks through the sky and the ginger cat buries it's head into Chi's body and clothes, escaping as he can the noise and flashes.
Gwen's eyes flash with a sudden anger.
Ieana spits in the faces of the gods themselves! This cannot be tolerated.
As she calms, she shrugs.
I will confess, I am guessing that it is she. But I ask you, who else could it be? We must stop whatever she is doing, friends...we must. Who is with me?
I agree we should investigate although I confess I'm not eager to put myself in the way of THAT. However, I think we should clear this section of the island clear of threats first. Once we're sure our friends aren't going to be attacked again while we are away we can focus our attention.
Chi taken aback by the gentle Gwen's outburst, has the realisation that these shows of power could be the work of the duplicitous, treacherous woman who is at the root of their being cast away. Her eyes intensify in color her flesh is a deeper hue her anger shown all over her face. "We must revenge ourselves on that woman and captain, who left us here tot die. Revenge is best served hot and the first of the courses. No, we should seek out our revenge before all else!"
I agree with Chi. I am curious to see what lies around our new camp, and the gods know I am interested in making the lighthouse operational and getting off this forsaken island, but whatever is going on over yonder is something that we must interrupt, which will require immediate action.
Perhaps in response to the terse discussions, or possibly stirred by the thunderous echo across the island, the trapdoor by the firepit begins to shake violently as though someone or something were attempting to dislodge the heavy objects Marcus put on top of it...
The ginger cat peers out quickly from Chi's body, before the ginger cat burrows into Chi's sparse clothes, trying to bury itself as far away from the noise and discomfort of the night. Chi almost jumps a foot in the air when the thumps sound close too. "What in heavens is that?!" she looks about, fear in her eyes at this turn of events.
Turning his gaze away from the mountain, and toward the trapdoor...
"It appears that we still have much to do on this island. We should deal with matters that are close at hand before ranging out again, I believe."
Perhaps in response to the terse discussions, or possibly stirred by the thunderous echo across the island, the trapdoor by the firepit begins to shake violently as though someone or something were attempting to dislodge the heavy objects Marcus put on top of it...
Seeing the still-wounded state of Tun'ada and Marcus, Ambroze tosses them each a couple of the grey curative potions he identified. "Anyone else need healing?" he asks, glancing nervously toward the shuddering trapdoor.
Marcus starts downing potions (assuming no other intervention).
Savarend! They would have chained a prisoner up here using the implements we saw. Brace the logs but don't stand too close!
Tun'ada downs the potions.
Marcus downs one of the potions from Ambroze and trots over to Savarend, readying sword and shield.
Nobody responds to Savarend, but after a period of banging and shaking against the trapdoor, it goes quiet once more. Some of the heavy objects from the block have been dislodged, but it seems whoever was trying to open the trapdoor has given up for now.
Marcus watches the door, not fully trusting that whatever it was will cease its attempts to get out.
Alright I for one am not going to sleep easily until we've dealt with whatever is down there. I say we get ready and give whatever it is a taste of fire.
Marcus throws open the trapdoor, and sunlight pours down into the cavern below. The trapdoor appears to be cut into the ceiling of the cavern, ten feet above the uneven floor. The floor of the cave is stained with blood and scattered with pieces of wood, fallen leaves, broken weapons, and in places, bits of bone. A hole in the ceiling leads out to the surface.
"Your call, Marcus. Do we want to go down into the cavern or wait?"
Lets try and bring whatever it is up here to us! Everyone ready?
Once everybody assents, Marcus will clash his sword against his shield creating a loud ringing sound.Dinner time! Come and get it.
Chi, although having confidence in the warriors that protect her, isn't sure if this is too hasty a response. "Are you sure you want to do this Marcus, if we could wait until the creature comes back, maybe we could calm it somehow and then maybe, just maybe we could discover if its a friend or foe. These natives have trapped something down there, either because its dangerous or because they need it for some other reason later, like a sacrifice, who knows? There's always the chance it could be calmed, I have some power to maybe charm it enough to at least let us discover more about it?"
Marcus doesn't take his eyes from the hole.How about this Chi? If it looks like an animal or something I'll try and block it until you give it the sleep ju ju and then we'll tie it up. On the other hand if it looks like something that crawled up out of the depths of the hells we give it the fire?
Chi nods at Marcus.
Nothing happens in response to Marcus... But with her low-light vision Chi can spot a tunnel leading down from the cave you are above. She also spots a dismembered arm; with teeth marks in it...
Chi points out the tunnel and half munched arm, "Looks like you're right Marcus, whatever is down there doesn't seem very friendly. If you insist on seeking out trouble today, then we'll need ropes an stuff to get down there and somewhere up here to tie them off. So who's going down, I guess you'll lead the way Marcus, with Tun'ada and Savarend, then I guess we'll come down once the coast is clear? I'd rather not risk scouting out for you down there, if the creature is as nasty as it seems."
Smirking at the dwarf's bravado, Gwen turns to her companions.
Anyone have a rope? I can't jump that far without breaking my leg several times.