Flute seems rather quiet.. for once.
"ummm, maybe we should find the ship's shipwright's store or carpenter's workshop we might find tools there. They could come in very handy to make shelters, or even a boat."
Between you all, you make a few disturbing conclusions with various skill checks.
1. The cook was bitten by a snake of some sort- the bite marks are serpentine in origin, and a particularily large serpentile creature it seems.
2. The cook also has traces of poison on him, that Gwyneth spots with a combination of her healing skills and Detect Poison.
3. The cook was dragged into here before being killed by something or someone stronger than him- and he was not a small fellow.
4. The evidence suggests that the cook was killed before the meal was served last night- but your last memories are of him serving the meal...
Gwen shakes her head sadly. I think we've learned what we can here. Let's head off to the supply room, shall we?
Gwen follows in the back, along with Ambroze.
Gwen shakes her head sadly. I think we've learned what we can here. Let's head off to the supply room, shall we?
Gwen follows in the back, along with Ambroze.
The supply room is locked.
Keymaster James tries the keys.
One of the keys unlocks the door to the supply room, but the door is stuck. You also notice fairly fresh blood has leaked through the door and out into the corridor...
"Be ready, we don't know what's on the other side, and that doesn't look good."
James draws his sword, and prepares to bash down the door.
Tun'ada draws his blade and prepares for anything aggressive to come out of the door.
Chi kneels on one knee next to the blood and wipes her long boney index finger through it, gauges its temperature, smells it and dabs a bit on her tongue to taste, before spitting it out. She moves back away from the door, ready to use her skills to best effect.
The two of you just barely manage to kick the door down together in a synchronised motion. You notice that the door had already been heavily damaged by the sea scorpions
This is the room the eurypterid was so eager to get into—it contains not only a number of supplies, but also the unfortunate first mate, Alton Devers. Trickles of blood run under the door to the supply room, as if something inside has recently been bleeding. Alton’s body lies slumped against the wall, quite dead, still wearing his masterwork studded leather armor and clutching his masterwork short sword in one hand.
The rest of the supply room turns up several tools and lumber that could come in handy in building a secure campsite: a block and tackle, three large canvas sheets, two fishing nets, a grappling hook, two bullseye lanterns, 12 flasks of lantern oil, 150 feet of hemp rope, and five shovels.
"Gwen, reckon he went the same way as the Chef?"
Once we've finished examining the body, James will field strip the corpse and gather all the gear he can, sharing out what he cannot carry himself to the others in order of strength.
"Any sign of bite marks on this one?"
Even to the untrained eye, the first mate seems to have died in the last few hours from two sets of wounds- I will require a heal check for you to accurately identify them.
Gwen kneels by Alton's body, unclasping his armor for a better look.
Here, you'll want to keep this armor, at any rate - it's really nice...
Heal:
Heal Assist for Gwen: Take Ten.
Both Tun'ada and Gwyneth are confident in their assessment-
The first set of wounds seem to have been inflicted perhaps 7 or 8 hours ago, and were caused by a rapier or a similar stabbing weapon. The wounds were not mortal.
The second set of wounds are inflamed stings from these sea scorpions you have fought, and in his weakened state from the stabbing wounds, Althon succumbed to the poison and died here, sometime in the last couple of hours.
It looks like Althon was trying to take supplies to the door before succumbing to the poison.
"This proves someone did this, this whole situation has been engineered intentionally. Somebody put us on that beach, and I doubt they mean us well."
Agreed, and the first person we need to talk to uses a rapier or a similar stabbing-type weapon. Be sure to take the armor and this beautiful short sword along with the other items, Althon won't be needing them anymore.
Now, if it's all the same to everyone, might we move back to land? I've no interest in slipping into the ocean.
Gwen moves toward the deck after the bounty has been secured.
A rapier is quite an expensive weapon, most cannot afford such a luxury. You recall that both the Captain and Sasha carried rapiers.
"Hmmm, that's interesting. So Jask is a worshipper of Nethys, the god of magic," Ambroze comments to Gwenyth.
The evidence suggests that the cook was killed before the meal was served last night- but your last memories are of him serving the meal...
The first set of wounds seem to have been inflicted perhaps 7 or 8 hours ago, and were caused by a rapier or a similar stabbing weapon. The wounds were not mortal.
It looks like Althon was trying to take supplies to the door before succumbing to the poison.
"Poor Master Alton! Who would have stabbed him? By the timing of his wounds, he would have been stabbed while we were unconscious, yes? And why was he here, trying to remove supplies? Do you think he removed us from the wreck and carried us to the beach?" Ambroze asks.
"Do you think we should take Master Alton and Master Rambar's bodies back with us and give them a proper burial?"
James organises everyone to carry all the loot out, and heads out to the deck to leave.
In all the excitement, rocking boat and hauling stuff around, you've only had a chance to skim over some of the Captain's Log before giving up so far Ambroze. Even for you, reading in such conditions is difficult.
"I doubt it Ambroze, I think he must have been a victim in all this. We're going to have enough trouble carrying all this stuff back to camp - the sea will claim their bodies soon enough. We can build a memorial on the cliff top."
It does seem likely someone left and returned to the ship at least once for some reason, as the lifeboat had been moored to the ship.
"That would be appropriate. These men died at sea, and should be buried as such."
Aye, even the short time that I spent on the ship imparted the knowledge that sailors, particularly officers, would prefer being scuttled at sea rather than being buried on land.
Asides, these are but husks. The souls of the men we knew, if indeed souls exist, are almost certainly elsewhere.
"Hmmm, that's interesting. So Jask is a worshipper of Nethys, the god of magic," Ambroze comments to Gwenyth.
Interesting. I remember reading that name, once. Gods were forbidden, where I come from. My belief, such as it is, in "Gods" is founded in my own curiousity more than anything else. I'm reasonably sure that there are Gods, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to know more about them. I am oddly and, as I understand it, somewhat irregularly ignorant of the Gods and their ways. If you would care to teach me at times, I would be happy to learn.
When burrying/saying farewells, Flute recites this short poem he was working on in his head
come gather round
and give a shout,
maybe a holler or cheer.
fer tha loss o' the crew
(most o' whom we knew)
and tha beautiful Jenivere
A shot of Molly for us
the rest fer the souls
who didn't make it an' persevere
we say farewell and we'll never ferget
tha beautiful Jenivere
The group make their way back to the castaway beach. As you are making your way back, laden down with supplies, James and Tun'ada realise a beach base camp is probably a bad idea, as visibility is very high on the open beaches. You suspect you'd be safer from potential predators a little ways into the jungle.
The other castaways are almost exactly as you left them, with Jask attempting to be productive while the rest mostly sit alone, nursing their own fears or sorrows. Jask looks up eagerly as you approach. As the sun is getting higher in the sky, it is slowly becoming hotter and hotter...
James claps solemnly at Flute's words, and toasts to the fallen Jenivere and her lost crew.
"Jask!" James hollers as they approach, and waves the keys for him to see. "We found your things, and a set of keys."
"Master Jask! We found your possessions!" Ambroze calls out as the companions approach the other castaways.
Ah excellent! Dare I ask... Was my holy symbol among them? he asks hopefully.
Once James reaches Jask he stops to ask a few questions *before* removing the manacles.
"We found a few things amongst your stuff that only people who can use magic tend to carry, as well as an amulet of Nethys. Do you have any abilities we should know about Jask?"
Once James reaches Jask he stops to ask a few questions *before* removing the manacles.
"We found a few things amongst your stuff that only people who can use magic tend to carry, as well as an amulet of Nethys. Do you have any abilities we should know about Jask?"
I have never denied anything. I am a Cleric of Nethys. the man replies, not missing a beat. I am sure some of your comrades can re-assure you that Nethys is not a evil or nefarious deity.
I believe he said he be a healer if im not mistaken, lad.
Flute has no idea about Nethys and is skeptical/curious.
Someone wanna clue tha dwarf in on Nethys? Only thing I saw was tha symbol with two faces. What kinda person worships someone with two-faces.?I'd trust an elf with me gold before I trust someone with two faces.
James nods happily at Jask's open and up front nature.
"Glad to hear it, we could use a man of your skills."
James removes the manacles with a smile, and shakes Jask firmly by the hand.
James nods happily at Jask's open and up front nature.
"Glad to hear it, we could use a man of your skills."
James removes the manacles with a smile, and shakes Jask firmly by the hand.
You receive a firm handshake from the middle-aged man.
Thankyou. Did you also find my confiscated possessions?
"Yes we did," James answers, sliding the footlocker over to the man. "It's unlocked, hope you don't mind that we went through it, can't be too careful."
"Yes we did," James answers, sliding the footlocker over to the man. "It's unlocked, hope you don't mind that we went through it, can't be too careful."
Jask armours and arms himself, before leaning in close to the group.
I'm afraid the others have already given in to despair somewhat, in their own ways. What are your plans now?