Iolana looks around a bit, than asks Jask
"There is still someone missing. Do you know where the other girls are, Sasha and that half elf,Aeris if i'm not wrong."
"You sure they made it?" Truk asks. "Some of your friends were in pretty rough shape. There's no tellin' what kinda dangers they ran into before they got here."
As night sets in and the others begin to bed down for the night, Cale begins to question the necessity of his presence amongst this group. While true that he would always consider at the very least Iolana and Truk'tosh as part of his crew, despite the latter's betrayal aboard the Gambit, Cale knew that he couldn't stay with them any longer. Every instinct in his being was screaming at him to cut his losses and take his leave.
The memories of Kalisama and the others were beginning to flood back as well with the final effects of the cannibal's sleep poison wearing thin. He withdrew Geraldine and checked her barrel to make sure she was loaded. She was. He'd done this a dozen times already, unable to sleep thus far. "Is this why you brought me back here?" Cale questioned silently to Besmara. "To find her?" He wasn't sure if he was asking about Kali or Iolana. The answer didn't come as it would have to a holy man, but that was possibly because Cale had already made up his mind. He had to find out what happened to Kalisama the last time he'd been on this damned island. The others would take care of Iolana. He had merely been given te chance to set things straight. Taking out his papyrus he scrawled a message to his crew, Iolana in particular. He wasn't going to leave again without a proper word to her. He owed her that much. When finished, he holstered Geraldine and stood up, walking to where Iolana had taken up residence for the night. He took a quick look around to make sure no one saw his entrance and to make sure no one would see what would happen next.
Inside, Iolana waited, sleeping already. He didn't want to wake her, so he carefully placed the note aside her arms and armor. Pulling a single trinket from his pocket, he lays it down aside the note. It is a compass of mundane origins encrusted with a small grey gem aboard its decor. Then he turned and took his leave.
By the time you read this, I will be gone. Please do no try and follow me as this is something I choose to do alone. I told you once before that I've been to this island. I lost people close to me and helped others escape the hells this place has to offer. They became my crew and were instantly embedded in my heart.
But there was one who was lost that was not buried nor died nor escaped the island with my crew and I. It is her I go now to seek. The will of the Pirate Queen has brought me here, so I will see it done. There's revenge yet to be had and this woman can see that revenge enacted.
To Truk'tosh, I leave you in charge of our newfound allies. They are your crew now, Captain. Protect them as I sought to protect the Gambit before Kreiss' betrayal. There was more to that betrayal than I first imagined. Some sort of sinister plot that I am unfortunate enough to say caught me off guard. You knew Kreiss. Do you estimate he would have the intelligence to perpetrate such a coup? There is more to this and I would see our vengeance sated. The Fury's Gambit will sail again under our flag, Captain.
Just remember, that our goals as captain are simple. Find a crew, find a job, keep sailin'.
To Miss Zerengo, you may have your doubts about me, dear, but I assure you that they are unfounded. You see, I knew your father for some time before the untimely demise that I suspect was no accident. I daresay that our fates have been entwined for far too long. I will find the culprits of your father's death and what I suspect to be the mutiny of my crew and I will exact fearsome wrath upon them the likes of which few have seen. I am a black-hearted scalawag, dear girl, and I would see the ocean dyed red with their blood. I am leaving you a compass your father gave me long ago when he asked me to watch over you. That was shortly before his death. Now, the compass is yours. Take solace in knowing, dear, that I made every attempt to keep it pristine.
Finally, to Syndlara, your grace is unmatched and skill in arm supple in the most elegant ways. I look forward to the day we dance, love.
The letter is not signed but it's clear who could have written these messages. Cale checks Geraldine one last night before moving into the jungles.
Iolana prefers to take one of the last watch turns, due to her lack of night vision, and the fact she is reluctant to use magical light that can give away her position from afar.
After taking one of the shacks as shelter, she says goodnight to the others.
"The two ladies said they didn't wanna sit around and wait for you folks to return. They set out on their own.. I do not expect things went well for them on this island."
Morning comes without incident. However... when you wake, and gather for breakfast, Captain Cale is not there.
Truk looks over the letter while breaking his fast.
"He really did it..." the big orc grunts.
Offering the letter to Iolana, Truk shoves the rest of his meal down his gullet.
"It doesn't change nothin'. We still need ta find your missin' crew and get off this rock. You ladies ready to follow the girl in the hood to those caves she wuz talkin' 'bout?"
Assuming Jask doesn't take to healing her in the morning, Syndlara expends some of her own spellcasting power to heal her wounds and to mend her slashed and torn clothing. "Yep," Syndlara says simply, nodding in response to Truk's question.
Jask jumps to his feet as Syndlara begins to heal herself. "So sorry. I had forgotten. Gather up now if you have wounds that need healin."
He gathers his dreadlocks into a topknot, and begins chanting in the center of the injured. A dim light and faint "voom" sound radiate from Jask. He continues chanting, and rocks his head until the sound and light come again - weaker still. He sighs... "I apologize. It may take more time to recover than I thought..."
"I see you both fight with sword and spell... If you wish to learn, there is a chant I could teach you. A chant which keeps ya focused... makes it harder for your foes to foil your casting."
You have yet to see "Miss Eve Aklume" this morning. No one has seen her since you left her in her lighthouse room.
”Thanks”, Truk offers in gratitude. ”That feels better.”
The big orc points up at the lighthouse, ”I’ll go wake her up.”
Truk'Tosh arrives at the room below where you left Miss Eve... right as she is washing up with a smaller sea turtle washtub. She whips a glance over, then quickly throws on her hood.
Before she covers herself, Truk'Tosh gets a good look at her misshapen asymmetrical head, many scars, and misaligned jaw. He also sees - before she fastens her form-fitting leather armor, her underarmor garb is skin tight and covered in brown brindle fur.
"I be right down. Please go." The brief look at her face brings some understanding to her affected speech.
Truk feels a pang of sympathy for the girl. What happened to her?
”Okay. We’re waitin’ downstairs when you’re ready.”
After reading the letter, Iolana almost wept; she has to wipe her tears away.
"That scapegallows was able to move me. I don't know if it completely true, but this compass is undoubtedly from dad. I'ld like to be there when he'll be extracting revenge, but have my share of work."
She too finishes her meal as soon as possible, then jumps to her feet.
"I'm as ready as ever,Truk,Syndlara,Gatherine,let's go!"
To Jask: "We'll accept every possible help,thanks Jask"
Str 12/Dex 13/Con 13/Int 17/Wis 12/Cha 14
HP 27/27
AC (lamellar armor) [Tot 16] [Touch 12] [FF 14] Dodge feat already included
CMB:+4 (+3BaB +1strength)
CMD:15 (+3BaB +1strength +1dexterity +10)
Fortitude save +5 (+4base +1con)
Reflex save +2 (+1base +1dex)
Will save +5 (+4base +1wis)
BaB+3
Initiative+1
Perception +7
Caster level check +11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(armor check pen. not included)
Climb +6 //Intimidate +7 //Knowledge Arcana +10 //Profession(Sailor) +5
Spellcraft +10 //Swim +7 //Sense Motive +5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed 30ft/9mtr
+1 Scimitar [att+5 dam1d6+2 18-20/x2 type S]
Shortbow [att+4 dam1d6 x3 60ft type P] 17 arrows
Prepared Spells :Level 0(cantrips):Daze(will DC13);Acid Splash(1d3 acid);Light;Detect Magic
Level 1:Shocking Grasp x2 (4d6 elect); Shield (+4 AC)
Level 2:Web (reflex DC15); Bull's Strength (+4 str)
Arcane Pool(1/2 magus level+int mod)[5]
Carrying 40lbs/light emcumbrance/check penalty -1
Gatherine shuffled to join the others with a jaw cracking yawn.She picked at the sleep crusted in her eyes after a sound sleep after her watch,imitating a log for most of the night sawing away at itself.
....Where's that booty crook Collard greens...Kale? I guess he's okay enough for a pirate.
Still groggy,she bounced off a wall in the lighthouse's unfamiliar interior and grunted....Oi,Tol,where's that hooded witch who was gonna sacrifice us to her skeleton jerky? I think...(yawn)...that the Shredded Man is the brother of the cursed swarm lady we put down back on the beach. We should...(YAAAWN)...We should make sure he's put down so he can't hurt us and put his spirit to rest.
"He didn't look to be in condition to hurt much Poozer", Truk answers. "He looked pretty dead to me."
Eve Aklume - the hooded woman, arrives. "I am ready." She is wearing the same outfit, has a small satchel on her hip, and another scarf wrapped around one hand with blades protruding like backbending claws from her fist.
She gestures to the main northeast exit. "We take main trail for some time before we cut through to the caves."
"Lead the way girl, we've got your back", Truk says with new-found sympathy for the woman.
"How far are these caves?"
If Truk, who was prisoner of this people trust Eve, Iolana has no reson not to.
"I'll stay by your side Truk. I'm good at following tracks, and slicing."
"Is that so?" Truk grunts challeningly.
"How does a beautiful girl like you end up learning' magic and her way 'round the wild?"
"When you are given birth and grow up on a ship full of rude men you have to quickly learn how to survive.Let's just put it this way for now."
Iolana smiles toward Truk and nods.
"Don't worry, you'll learn more about me."
Gatherine made an uncomfortable face....You'd be surprised something fierce. We found some old bones on a shipwreck...that belonged to this creepy undead swarm of carrion beetles wearing a cloak,using necromancy,and wielding blades.We had Mugambi do a funeral rite so it couldn't reform after we pummeled it.It tried to...take me coz it wanted me pistols.Brrr. And if that bundle of bones is the shredded man,he's the one who tried to have us beaten to death by legless undead on a beach for whatever reason.
She looked at Truk,speaking lowly,tossing her head at the others....Just ask the others.
"I plan on learnin' a whole lot more", the hulking orc says with lewd grin.
At Gatherine's description of the undead and carrion swarms, Truk grimaces.
"You girls dealt with all of that? Alone? Heh, Cale and I had it easy. All we had to tangle with was some cannibals."
Eve Aklume looks up at the rising sun.
"If no trouble... we be there before noon." She does not comment, or even seem to react to Gatherine's account of events.
She leads along the path, and weaves around the pit traps. To the right she points out the worm-infested webbed trees... seen earlier by all but Truk'tosh. "These are worms for our silk. Strongest silk when they eat meat."
She slows a little in case any are curious.
Truk regards the worms with suspicion.
"Eats meat? Like what kinda meat?" the big man grunts.
Iolana gives the worms a disgusted glance.
"I don't want to know, even thought i can imagine which kind."
"Same thing your former captors ate, I imagine," Syndlara chimes in as they walk. I wonder if she left the Shredded Man defenseless in that lighthouse....
...I already know about them.They took a few bites outta me already after I bludgeoned that cannibal in there with that swarm armor.
"Klorak's men did not share their feasts. Du'waneeg worm eat any meat... many monkeys." The path starts to curve eastward, and you pass the northbound trail - the direction from which the castaways of the Jenivere came.
As the sun rises, the temperature does as well. It is likely the hottest you've experienced since arriving. After another 30 minutes of travel, Eve Aklume stops, and moves under shade.
"Rest here a moment. This is where Shredded Man cannot go." She points down the trail to where it crosses a swift river. You can barely make out a twenty or thirty foot high waterfall through the foliage - a quarter mile to the northeast.
"Spirits of the Mad Captain's ghost roam here. Only see them at night, but they here."
On the way, Iolana tries to look for tracks of Ieana and Kovak, or to see if someone else passed here recently.
When Eve stops and says something about a ghost the varisian piratess asks: "These spirits, are they only active at night as well? Can we proceed safely during day ?"
Str 12/Dex 13/Con 13/Int 17/Wis 12/Cha 14
HP 27/27
AC (lamellar armor) [Tot 16] [Touch 12] [FF 14] Dodge feat already included
CMB:+4 (+3BaB +1strength)
CMD:15 (+3BaB +1strength +1dexterity +10)
Fortitude save +5 (+4base +1con)
Reflex save +2 (+1base +1dex)
Will save +5 (+4base +1wis)
BaB+3
Initiative+1
Perception +7
Caster level check +11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(armor check pen. not included)
Climb +6 //Intimidate +7 //Knowledge Arcana +10 //Profession(Sailor) +5
Spellcraft +10 //Swim +7 //Sense Motive +5 //Survival +9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed 30ft/9mtr
+1 Scimitar [att+5 dam1d6+2 18-20/x2 type S]
Shortbow [att+4 dam1d6 x3 60ft type P] 17 arrows
Prepared Spells :Level 0(cantrips):Daze(will DC13);Acid Splash(1d3 acid);Light;Detect Magic
Level 1:Shocking Grasp x2 (4d6 elect); Shield (+4 AC); Magic Missile (2 bolts 1d4+1 each)
Level 2:Web (reflex DC15); Bull's Strength (+4 str)
Arcane Pool(1/2 magus level+int mod)[5]
Carrying 40lbs/light emcumbrance/check penalty -1
Truk kneels down and helps the beautiful varisian look for tracks.
....Wait a moment. This Mad Captain ghost...does he have one of these?
Gatherine wiggled one of her pistols at the hooded woman.
...During that fight against the undead,Keekaw said it was the Shredded Man versus a captain who would shoot him come dawn,driving him back to the sea.And we heard a gunshot that didn't come from me after we destroyed most of them,just as dawn broke.Something screamed...and the undead lost all the will to fight,while before they were more or less crawling all over each other to get at us.
Eve Aklume nods. "The nighttime ritual path to the caves was through here... the Shredded Man said 'change path.. this is the home of the Mad Captain. We fight and we fight, and all living will fall who cross between our spears, and fiery fists.' So we go in day. We leave Shredded Man here." She buries her satchel under some foliage.
You do see tracks here. Iolana is able to determine they are the same they had followed earlier. Kovak and Ieana. Between the two of you, you figure the tracks are at least a day old... maybe two. They head the direction the Shredded Man is reluctant to go (according to Eve Aklume)
"That's the way we go then", Truk grunts. "Thanks for your help girl", the big orc says with a nod Eve's way.
"You ladies ready?"
"I wouldn't be here otherwise Truk. Kovak has some answers to give me, and he is going to,i swear it!"
Iolana looks at her blade's hilt,than to Eve.
"I take it you aren't coming?"
"You will go alone?" She nods "It is as you should. Follow this trail to the base of the red mountain, and turn left to the pit of the bay. You will find the caves there." She stoops down and recovers her satchel. "If you do not die today... the Shredded Man says there is room enough at camp." She then sprints off back toward her home.
Gatherine uneasily watched her go,fiddling with Twinbellows from.where it was stashed in her adventurers sash.She shuffled her feet nervously.
...Are y'all sure it's wise to just let her rabbit off like that? I mean,she was about to do some kinda bone witchery and murder us before we cornered her and she surrendered. But what if she tries to set up some kinda insidious kinda business while we're away? I mean...you never know with folk.
The she dwarf wrung her stubby fingers in worry,looking uncharacteristically pensive and uncertain.
Truk shrugs.
”She’s just a scared girl. I wouldn’t worry ‘bout her or her shredded man. There’s ‘nuff real things to be worried ‘bout.”
Once she’s left, Truk heads towards the red mountain.
"In the end she was helpful, maybe she knows she couldn't do more for us.Well guys, let's finish this,and mind your surroundings."
Iolana follows closely.
Str 12/Dex 13/Con 13/Int 17/Wis 12/Cha 14
HP 27/27
AC (lamellar armor) [Tot 16] [Touch 12] [FF 14] Dodge feat already included
CMB:+4 (+3BaB +1strength)
CMD:15 (+3BaB +1strength +1dexterity +10)
Fortitude save +5 (+4base +1con)
Reflex save +2 (+1base +1dex)
Will save +5 (+4base +1wis)
BaB+3
Initiative+1
Perception +7
Caster level check +11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(armor check pen. not included)
Climb +6 //Intimidate +7 //Knowledge Arcana +10 //Profession(Sailor) +5
Spellcraft +10 //Swim +7 //Sense Motive +5 //Survival +9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed 30ft/9mtr
+1 Scimitar [att+5 dam1d6+2 18-20/x2 type S]
Shortbow [att+4 dam1d6 x3 60ft type P] 17 arrows
Prepared Spells :Level 0(cantrips):Daze(will DC13);Acid Splash(1d3 acid);Light;Detect Magic
Level 1:Shocking Grasp x2 (4d6 elect); Shield (+4 AC); Magic Missile (2 bolts 1d4+1 each)
Level 2:Web (reflex DC15); Bull's Strength (+4 str)
Arcane Pool(1/2 magus level+int mod)[5]
Carrying 40lbs/light emcumbrance/check penalty -1
To your right is solid jungle with a variety of fat-leaved squat plants and lavender-flowered vined and gnarled trees dominating the area.
To your left the ground rises and the foliage of the trees and underbrush quite often graft together into a wall of green. Beyond the leafy barrier along the path, you catch glimpses of the ravine and rapid waters of the river - fueled by the waterfall further ahead.
The path descends slightly and the foliage on your left thins. The far bank of the ravine is a 20-25' high cliff, and topped with tall straight short-branched trees. You now see the waterfall clearly. The flow of water is violent, and rocky at its base, but there is a rocky bridge leading to clearing on the other side. It is an idyllic little scene with a sunlit patch of green surrounded pooling runoff from the waterfall.
The path appears to continue on the far side of the rock bridge. On the horizon you do see a peak. It might be considered a mountain on this island... with the morning sun it looks more orange than red, but it could be the mountain Eve Aklume spoke of.
You start to see some strange tracks all along and crossing the path.
Syndlara follows with the group to the rocky bridge over the waterfall. "I wonder what kinds of horrors await us," she says, voice more jocular than afraid.
Gatherine sighed and solemnly trudged along,kicking at stones in the path. I can't even enjoy the view because there's something lurking around waiting to kill us.