Nobody on the ship recognizes the items. Ramona shakes her head sadly. "I fear it may be some time before we are able to learn the answer to that mystery. In the meantime, we must soldier on. It falls on us now to ensure Talmandor's Bounty survives and becomes a secure and comfortable new home for us."
Weyve shrugs.
"Very well. But I think we must complete the palisade as soon as possible, and build homes for the colonists within the walls."
"The giant burrowing insects might be a problem, but I have a thought. Firstly, if the piles for the palisade are sunk deep it may discourage the insects from digging underneath. And throughout the settlement, we could sink long poles into the ground at various intervals, and attack small bells to the tops. That way if something within the earth shakes the bottom of the pole, the vibration will cause the bell on the top to ring."
"Seems like a sound and simple way to keep the colony on the alert for any more ankhegs that may show up. Hopefully those larvae we killed were the progeny of the adult we also offed, but there's no guarantee of it."
"Finishing the palisade seems like the first thing that the colony as a whole needs to get started on, though. A couple or three watch towers wouldn't hurt, either."
"Sounds good to me. I can help with the manual labor, if needed." Calvin offers. "I did a lot of heavy lifting before I joined the crew."
"Those sound like good suggestions. Once everybody is settled in, I will start assigning work details and specialized crews. I'd like you four to serve as the colony's troubleshooters, if you are willing. You would deal with any situations that arose beyond the regular colonists' capacity to handle. Are there any other areas of concern I should know about?"
"The choker was over here at this house." Calvin says, pointing it out. "It was drunk as a skunk off the casks of alcohol it had stolen, but I don't think it was alone... They don't just appear out of nowhere... do they?"
"I've got some engineering know-how," says Tobar. "I can help with working up the plans for fortifications. I think the ankhegs are gonna be a continual problem unless we eliminate their hive, and anything that can chew through the ground can eventually chew through wood - 'specially since they have that caustic spittle. We might wanna see if there's any stone in the region that we can quarry and use to make foundations for living spaces, just to avoid having those things burst up in the middle of a house. The fields... gonna be hard to keep 'em out, so an early warning system like Weyve suggests is a good start."
"Also, if I have some free time I can make more crossbows, or even some simple weapons like spears and daggers. Just so's everyone has something handy in case of emergency."
"It might have come from a lair somewhere nearby. We'll have to keep a lookout to be sure no more chokers creep into our colony," Ramona says.
"I'll have Lyra scout the area for any large deposits of stone in the area. Extra weapons are always handy. You should speak with Luetin when you get a chance about assisting him in the smithy. With the original colonists missing, he will be Talmandor Bounty's chief blacksmith now."
As you continue showing Ramona around, you pass by the large plum tree in the southern part of the colony. Earlier, you found a note indicating something might be hidden here. You could take the time to search for it now, if you want to.
Unable to stop his curiosity from getting to him, Gideon turns and makes as straight a line as he can for the plum tree, remembering the arcane mark they found in the ledger when they first arrived.
Searching around the tree, Gideon discovers a spot on the ground, next to a fist sized stone, where the earth has been disturbed. Digging a few inches beneath the soil yields a small, flat, leather pouch like a wallet. It seems to have been buried for a few weeks, but is not significantly deteriorated. Inside the wallet is a note:
After Dulin went on the "fishing expedition," I thought it was smart to change the drop point, lest they drag it out of him. Rayland is becoming bolder and cockier now that more people have resumed supporting him. Don’t tell him anything, no matter how convincing he seems. If necessary, talk to Eliza, she’s on our side and it’s clear that Rayland resents her for usurping his authority. Some of us plan on taking the canoe—since those bastards conveniently took the boat—and finding somewhere to hole up until the supply ship comes. We can’t all go at once, so wait for the quarter moon and go down to the docks a few hours past nightfall. Barnabus will pick you up. Don’t get followed!
—Una
"What did you find, Gideon?" Calvin calls, standing near Ramona as Gideon searches.
"Dissension in the ranks...or so it would seem." Gideon responds, bringing the wallet to the others (Ramona included) and letting them each read the note that was inside it.
"Well that's just great. They divided themselves, then got conquered," says Tobar after he sees the note.
"This is unsettling news," Ramona says. "I wonder what could have happened to cause a rift in the colony? We should keep this quiet for now. I don't want to spook the others more than they already have been. We will have to investigate further once things are settled here."
"Also, something I was wondering... where did their boat go?" Calvin says. "I saw they had stuff to keep a boat, but it was nowhere to be seen. It hadn't even sunk cause we were underwater and it was clear."
"There are definitely questions that need answering, but for right now I think we need to continue getting the colony settled. The more stable we have things here, the more likely we are to succeed in figuring out what happened to the first colonists."
As you finish the tour, Ramona nods in satisfaction. "Alright, thank you for your insight. Once everybody is settled, we'll get to work!"
It takes the majority of the day to get everything unloaded from the Peregrine. The ship stays the night and the crew replenishes their fresh water before departing in the morning. During the next day, the existing houses are assigned with the understanding that there may need to be compromises made if the original colonists return. Ramona also assigns work details and specialized crews.
With a little free time, Tobar looks for a good opportunity to set up shop somewhere - probably next door to the smith, as he'll need metal for arrowheads and knives.
He sets up his tools in preparation for making a lot of weapons and winds up getting to know Luetin (the blacksmith), as they will likely be working together, and offering Machi (the tattooed laborer) a chance to learn a new trade.
He then sets about carving out new bolts for his crossbow, to replace the ones that he's used.
Calvin will spend the mornings performing exercise and manual labor, working up an oily sweat in what he considers pleasing physical activity.
By the plum tree, he works to set up a still, collecting plums to use for what he hoped to be a flavorful local brew.
By evening, he would sit for an hour or two on the stoop near the barracks and 'sell' drinks from his own personal stores to the colonists (albeit mostly just keeping a tab for anyone who wants one, though he jokes often that he will need to collect after the colony is a success).
Weyve throws his gear down by a bunk in the barracks.
Weyve invites Gideon (and the others if they want) to look around in the nearby forests. Weyve is hoping to find a darkwood grove nearby but also wants to get a feel for the area.
Gideon is going first going to go to Ramona and propose that no one in the colony go anywhere outside the colony alone; since there's no knowing what happened to the first wave, it would be the height of folly to knowingly let people go out into the jungle by themselves. As such, he's going to recommend that no one be allowed to get out of sight of the colony in a group of less than three. In addition, he expresses his thinking that it would be a good idea to start mapping the coast of the island.
Gideon is also going to go with Weyve, and try to find a third person to accompany them just so he abides by his own sense of "safety in numbers", so they can try to find a grove of darkwood in the vicinity of the colony.
Third, Gideon is going to find Perrell give her more details about their journey into the grindylow cave, particularly the statue that they found in the back of it, and see what the thoughts of a fellow archaeologist are on the find and also tell her he intends to start mapping the coastline to see if she'd be interested in going along to help.
Finally, if any colonists are willing to learn, Gideon offers to start teaching them the things he knows about identifying edible plants, tracking animals, and otherwise surviving in the wild.
Working in the smithy, Tobar gets to know Luetin Calewick--for better or worse. Luetin is balding, with dark hair at the sides and back of his head. He sports a bushy mustache and a stocky, muscular frame. He's friendly enough, but definitely has a masculine perspective. The fact that he is now the only blacksmith in the colony inflates his sense of self-importance--in fact, he seems a little resentful that Tobar is able to craft his own bolts.
Machi takes eagerly to the role of Tobar's assistant. The tattooed woman is a fast learner, practicing carving down wood for the shafts of Tobar's bolts.
----
The colonists are grateful for Calvin's aid in the physical activities necessary for their daily work. They are even more grateful for the delicious libations he provides in the evenings. Soldiers, farmers, and carpenters alike come by for a drink and a chat, and after a few days, they begin setting up tables and chairs outside the barracks to form a makeshift open-air tavern area.
----
Ramona agrees with Gideon's suggestion to ensure nobody leaves the colony alone. She pairs up the fifty colonists to ensure everybody has a "buddy" to travel with.
Lyra Heatherly happily volunteers to explore the nearby forest with Gideon and Weyve. They observe and catalog several strange flora and fauna, and after several expeditions, they come upon a small grove of darkwood trees. They mark the location for future harvesting.
Perrell is very intrigued by Gideon's description of the statue in the grindylow cave. Without further information, she cannot put forth a hypothesis as to whom it might represent--a deity, perhaps, or an ancient figure of renown. Her duties chronicling the daily activities of the colony keep her busy, but she promises to go with Gideon on a map quest soon.
----
The next several days pass rather quickly, with work beginning in earnest to get Talmandor's Bounty up and running again. As the farmers clear the fields and tend to the crops, the carpenters focus their work on finishing the palisade wall. By week's end, the wooden fortifications are complete, creating a secure barrier around the core of the colony.
You are all gathered around the barracks stoop to celebrate the completion of the palisade. The vast majority of the colonists have come out to bask in the fruits of their labor.
Calvin, as the bartender of the soiree, spends a little time interacting with everyone.
...You are all gathered around the barracks stoop to celebrate the completion of the palisade...
Tobar spends a lot of time setting up his equipment and working on showing Michi some of the basics of the trade. He haggles for a small amount of iron and then swings by Calvin's pub to ask Ramona if she has any requests for specific weapons that he can make - crossbows, spears, daggers, and so on.
"So, what's all the ink for?" he asks Michi one day while calibrating his lathe for pole-turning. "Old memories?"
Ramona requests that Tobar prioritize crossbows and spears--simple weapons that the colonists can use to defend the colony in case of an emergency.
Machi glances at Tobar. "Yeah, memories. Some good, some bad." She points to a pair of spread wings across her chest. "I was on my way to being sold into slavery when I was a teenager until the Steel Falcons waylaid the ship I was on and rescued me. This one represents the freedom I found in Andoran."
She then points to a snake coiled on her shoulder, its fangs bared toward her heart. "I was happy in Almas. I thought I had found love. This one represents the bastard who left me at the altar. I got it right before I signed up to join the colony."
Meanwhile, Calvin makes pleasantries with most of the colonists, picking up bits of gossip. Most of it involves a strange love triangle between Anya Sandstrider, Harcourt Carrolby, and Luetin Calewick. Anya is fascinated by Harcourt, whom she finds to be "pretty" and someone she would like to "break like a stallion." Unknown to her, Luetin Calewick, the blacksmith, has determined that the fierce barbarian woman is just the sort of island bride he needs for companionship. Unfortunately, the smith repels Anya because he smells like smoke and has bad teeth. This only compounds Luetin's dislike of Harcourt, who is too self-absorbed to understand why and completely oblivious to Anya's interest.
Pursuant to Ramona's directives, Tobar turns out ten spears with the colony's supplies in the remaining five days.
To Machi he says, "Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. Hopefully your new life here at the colony will be more satisfactory." Early on, he mostly spends time teaching her about the names and uses of the various tools, and having her carry wood or sweep out wood shavings, but he also makes sure to explain what he's doing as he checks for warping, shaves down hafts, and grinds out large spear-points and secures them for the simple weapons.
Gideon takes advantage of the celebratory mixer to mill about the colonists and make sure he is better able to put faces with the names on the manifest from the ship; sure, they were at sea together for those months, but that doesn't mean he spent a lot of time talking to each individual person.
He spends a few minutes talking to Carver, the expedition's other archaeologist, giving him mostly the same update he had given Perrell regarding their find in the grindylow cave and his desire to map out the beach when time permits.
He takes particular care to talk to any other people who were laborers; Frel, Tipps, Gaege, Kulena, and any others who have a skill to contribute to the work, wanting to find out if there's anything he can help find them in his explorations that would make their jobs easier.
After he has made rounds, he stops by Kulena, glancing over to her again. "Y'know...maybe a strange thing to say, but your braids are somethin' else. Keeping your hair looking so healthy must take a lot of work, especially on the ship and out here. It shows, though...it's pretty."
Carver has spent most of the week aloof from the other colonists, performing his soldier duties quickly and efficiently. When Gideon speaks to him, though, it's easy to pick up on his keen interest in the statue you discovered.
"That combined with the sword Calvin found--it had to come from somewhere nearby, right? There must be some ruins that the ancient Azlanti left behind on this island. If you discover any, I would very much like to see them for myself!"
The workers don't really need a whole lot to help them with their labors, though any comforts would be appreciated--flavorful food and drink foremost on their minds.
Kulena looks at Gideon as she examines his words for sarcasm. Finding none, she gives a thin smile. "Thanks. It is kind of hard with all this humidity, but I don't mind the extra effort. I'm glad somebody appreciates it." She reaches into her pouch and offers the bard a hard candy. "Some of my private stash I brought over from the mainland."
Seeing Carver's own interest in the discovery, Gideon is quick to assure him that any discoveries he makes will be shared with his fellow enthusiast.
When Kulena offers him a piece of hard candy, his expression brightens. "Ha! I thought we'd left small treats like this behind. Thank you, Kulena. And no worries! Your stash's secret is safe with me." he replies with a genuine smile.
Weyve spends much of the week gathering and refining herbs for medicinal use. He gives such remedies away for free if any of the colonists need them, but if any materials are not immediately needed he prepares and dries them for future use.
Gideon approaches Ramona with some drawings.
"I have some things for you to look at. I think it's safe to say that we need to be careful about the defense of the settlement. No one is hurt by a few extra precautions."
"So it's fair to say that we should aim to have a wall around the whole settlement. Now the most efficient way to wall a town, in terms of the area contained per length of wall, is a circle, which is why most walled towns are roughly round."
"Now if you look at this map, you will see I've drawn a potential new wall in black. It is approximately round, which minimizes the amount of work we have to do to enclose the space. We can eventually build watchtowers at these squares - these two close together would act as a gatehouse. We should require that new buildings be built in the area that will soon be enclosed."
"Later on, we could build a longer wall along this red line to enclose the other buildings, but that would be a much bigger undertaking."
Kulena puts her finger to her lips. "Aye, it will be our little secret. I only give out my treats to people I like."
----
Ramona studies Weyve's plans. "These seem like good plans for the long-term defense of the colony. I'll run them by the carpenters to see what they think, but I think we should build the walls to your specifications." She smiles at the gillman. "Thank you for providing your expertise."
The corner of his mouth turning up in a grin, Gideon gives Kulena a nod. "Good to know. Coincidentally, I only take treats from people that I like." he answers, a hint of playfulness in his tone.
Kulena winks at Gideon before going about her business.
----
Another couple of days pass without much of event. Early one afternoon, Lyra Heatherly comes up to the four of you with an excited look on her face. "Hey, guys! Milo and I were out exploring earlier when we came across a field of broken marble columns with a strange dais in the center. We didn't get too close, but I thought you might want to go check it out!"
"Definitely sounds like the kind of find we need to go check out!" Gideon says excitedly, gathering his gear to make the trek to this new discovery.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Heck yeah!" Calvin says, setting down the log he was hauling for the palisade alterations. "I'll go get washed up."
Once you're ready, Lyra leads you north from Talmandor's Bounty, bearing northeast a bit as you travel towards the island's interior. You pass through some thick forest and climb in elevation a bit, but the journey is uneventful, and after a short afternoon shower blows through, you reach your destination.
The trees thin out around this field of shattered stones and fragments. Toppled marble columns jut haphazardly from the ground and are partially covered with moss. These rocks are the only evidence that buildings once stood here, but the passage of thousands of years has left little but their broken stone skeletons. One remnant remains incongruous with the ruins: a circular marble dais carved from a distinctly lustrous pinkish stone, perfectly preserved but surrounded by a crumbled stone rotunda that has not weathered the ages nearly as well.
"Here it is," Lyra says, resting her hands on her hips. "What do you think?"
"Some kind of speaking plaza?" Calvin offers. "The stone looks familiar... but I can't for the life of me imagine why."
Tobar leaves Machi in charge of the shop and sets her to just lathing and finishing the poles for bolts and spears while he's out.
"Some kind of volcanic stone? You're right about it feeling familiar," says Tobar as he unlimbers his crossbow.
Gideon takes a few minutes to make a quick sketch of the immediate surroundings of the group, noting the placement of the building foundations and in particular the pink stone dais that has, somehow, weathered the passage of eons when the rest of the structures have clearly long crumbled.
"This IS very curious. Especially that the rest of the stones have clearly collapsed long ago, while this seems strangely untouched..." Gideon comments.
He pauses in his sketch to cast Detect Magic, letting the spell go to full effectiveness while he finishes his sketch, then he focuses the magic on the area around them, searching for any magical auras that may be present.
Whether there are any or not, his next objective is the dais itself, and he approaches it, but slowly and carefully; remembering the trap laid by the grindylows makes him aware that whoever built this may be just as eager to avoid being trespassed on.
The dais radiates strong auras of transmutation and illusion magic.
You carefully approach the dais, but are still caught by surprise when four monkey goblins emerge from their hiding spots behind piles of rubble! They screech and hurl daggers in your direction! One sinks into Gideon's leg, but the others harmlessly bounce off armor.
Tobar immediately reacts with a quick shot from his crossbow.
Tobar's crossbow bolt skips off the column his target hides behind.
Each of the monkey goblins draws a spear as they scurry forward into melee! Two stab at Gideon, while the other two attack Calvin. The bard takes another painful hit.
"Gideon! Get back!" Calvin shouts, swinging his longsword at a goblin.
With a cry of pain twice over, Gideon is already brought nearly low again; figuring discretion is the better part of valor, the archaeologist hastily retreats from the melee, withdrawing in the hope that he'll be able to do more damage when he's not being so accosted.
Weyve looks around for a piece of cover (a broken column maybe) and ducks behind it.
"Hold 'em back for a few seconds!"
Weyve begins casting a spell.
Tobar stands his ground, reloads, and manages to make a shot between the pillars.
Lyra loads her sling and tries to hit a goblin, to no avail.
As Gideon and Weyve fall back, Calvin toes the line, slicing into a goblin with his sword. Tobar shoots the same goblin, leaving it seriously injured but still fighting.
Two of the goblins shift to flank Calvin while the others fight from the front. One scores a good hit.