Cueta nocks another arrow and prepares to let it go, when Gall steps forward and lands the most viscous punche the Mwangi has ever seen - and that's saying a lot, given the amount of bar fights Cueta has taken part in.
Low on ammo, she lowers her bow and waits to see if the monstrosity falls.
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Day 5 - Afternoon - Bonewrack Isle -
Cueta stares at the creature as somehow miraculously it still stands. However, it is so still, no snarls or hisses emanate from its lips. She raises her bow to fire as a breeze stirs. That breeze reveals the true fate of the creature as it falls in twain and then breaks in half as it falls. The mighty half giant has cut the foul thing into four perfect cuts.
Gall's amazing strike was truly a thing of beauty -- far removed from the decomposed creature that it dispatched. I had to tip my hat to the broad-shouldered gent. "I say, good show!" I commended.
As the sounds of the jungle resumed to replace the sounds of battle, I listened for more of the foul undead. Hearing none, I cautiously approached the tent and parted its flap with my cutlass to peer inside. I was struck with fear that our companions may be within, and in what state I could scarcely imagine. However, there was only one way to be certain so I bravely looked inside the ghouls' grisly den.
Gall takes a deep breath and lowers his weapons when the ghoul falls to pieces, letting the tip of his sword dig into the dirt. He lets the breath out slowly, and breaks into a small smile at Artevious's compliment. "Thanks, mate," he replies quickly, before moving to fall into step just behind the swashbuckler. Just in case there truly are any more of those things inside.
Esmarelda lets out a breath she didn't know she had been holding with the creature falls to the ground. "Looks like luck was on our side." She said while moving to follow Artevious.
"Anything one... or well thing inside?" She asked the swashbuckler as she did her best to look over his shoulder.
Cueta places her bow aside and grabs her pike from her back, following behind Arty and Gall. She was not so powerful a fighter as Gall, nor did she have the swagger of the smaller man, but she figured she could stab an enemy with a pointy stick good enough, if it came to it.
At Esmeralda's question, Rizz perks up.
"I'll check!" she volunteers as she hops up to the slain enemy and starts digging at it with a stick.
She'll poke at them seeing if there's anything to be seen. And when satisified, she slams one of their heads with the flat of her sword.
"That's for the bad touch!"
Day 5 - Afternoon - Bonewrack Isle -
As Arty pushes the flap aside, inside the tent are more rotting human remains, a huge pile of filthy clothes, and a vast bed of moldering cushions at the base of the tree. Clouds of flies dance above the decay.
Though the smell is awful there does appear to be a chest and some objects which glint in the small amount of sunlight that penetrates the rotted tent.
Harmony waits and keeps watch on the surroundings, a little creeped out by the undead creatures and half expecting more of them to come surging out of the bushes at any time. "See anything?" she calls out to anyone going into the rotted tent, staying well clear of it herself.
The decor was horrific; the stench even worse. I wished nothing more than to flee the ghouls' boudoir, except I noticed althea possibility of treasure. I began to push my way into the pavilion, but was thoroughly repulsed by the cloying odor that seized my entire being and had me retching uncontrollably.
I fell back to try to clear the foul air from my lungs. "Oh, the stench!" I exclaimed between bouts of gagging.
Gall feels his gut start to churn, but he clenches his jaw and soldiers through it. Pushing past Artevious with the collar of his tunic pulled up over his nose, he starts the grisly task of picking through the tent. "Eugh. Don't worry none, lad, I'll see to it. Trick's not breathin' through yer nose. Or at all, if ye can help it."
"Ever smelled a whorehouse's laundry? Can't be much worse tha- Urp."
The smell hits Cueta and practically crawls up her nose, this morning's fish stew going the other way before the woman can finish her sentence. Doubling over, the swab leaves a trail of breakfast behind her, and heads back out towards the dead women outside, which strangely enough smell better than the tent.
Wretching, Cueta looks around, running her shirt sleeve along her nose. Going to be hungry before too long...
Esmarelda stepped up along with Gall to look inside, worried she'd find the friends they where seeking. However the varisian woman didn't get to look long, as soon as she entered the tent she bolted right back out. She stopped by the closest tree and vomited from the sight and smell.
Rizz grimaces as she takes a waft of the foul odor.
"Might wanna step back."
Rizz finds a stick nearby and begins poking at the refuse, looking for anything of interest.
Day 5 - Afternoon - Bonewrack Isle -
Among the piles of revealing clothing inside the tent are a potion of in a leather hip flask depicting a crocodile, three very sharp
oft-used daggers, a chest containing six flasks of some alchemist’s mixture, two barrels of very cheap perfume, a wedding dress inlaid
with pearls and set with three tiny rubies, a whalebone corset set with mother-of-pearl inlays, a dozen silver hatpins set with tiny obsidians, and a few scattered gems!
As Rizz and Gall inspect the offal offerings the rest of you look about for where to go next. Dense swamp surrounds you and this may well be one of the only safe dry clearings around.
You could continue to push south, east, or west. North clearly is not an option. East may make sense as through the clearing here you can see that there is a granite rise that may allow for better view of the entire island, however, that would be a long trek through some territory you likely have already covered...
"High ground is generally a good thing. It gives us a vantage point to see longer distances and is easier to defend. I say we should go either toward the small rock to the east, or the bigger massif to the west. If I were to pick, I would say west, because east is uncomfortably close to the ship, and therefore Plugg and Scourge... I say west, let's climb up on top of that ridge and see what we can see. What say the rest of you? East? West? South?"
Harmony does not join in the appraising of the items found, spending more time looking around and trying to get a good idea of the lay of the land.
Rizz looks at the perfume barrels with interest.
"As we don't often have the excess to wash ourselves at sea. A bit of this stuff may not be so bad on board..."
She postions out in the middle of the area so she can grab it when they head back.
As for the next direction...
"High is good in my opinion. I say either West or East."
Gall unceremoniously gathers up everything he can find that is not soiled and looks to have any amount of value to it. A heap made, he scoops it all up under one arm and hurries out of the tent, lest his stomach finally rebel like the others.
Taking a deep breath of far cleaner air, he sets the heap onto the cleanest patch of dirt he can find. "All right, ladies and gents, we got a wee bit of loot here. If ye want to lay claim to somethin' pretty, make 'er quick."
Casting a glance around the area quickly, Gall finds himself nodding along with Harmony. "Aye, west'll do right fine for my tastes. Reckon we might be able to spot where the lost pair might've got to through all them trees, Esmarelda? Or do ye think they'll be more to the coast?"
Cueta smiles as she sees the daggers, turning them over and holding them up to the sunlight. "Well used. Whoever owned them was a real bastard. Next she goes through the rest of things, pointing out little observations here and there to Gall. As they finish up, the voices in the back of Cueta's mind start massaging her thoughts. Looking over the items, the swab makes a quick prayer to Besmara and concentrates.
Looking to the west, Cueta nods. "Aye. West sounds good. I'll climb a tree and have a look around when we get to high ground."
I recovered from the stench-induced nausea promptly and returned to the group, who had managed to pull out the various objects that may hold some value from the tent. I looked over them and nodded my head in approval. The ghoulish women seemed to have quite the nice array of treasures. Certainly not items that our august company would see fit to wear on the high seas as gallant pirates, but they would bring quite a nice bit of coin in more civilized areas. And as I thought about it, my father would routinely keep a few sets of nice feminine attire on hand in case a rescued lass needed something more fitting. It happened quite often, as a matter of fact, though I daresay he would have avoided keeping a wedding dress on hand.
Turning my attention to our next direction of travel, the consensus seemed to be to head west toward high ground. I could find no fault in their logic, so I agreed heartily.
"Then westward it is," I chimed in. "We have a heading, and I daresay we can make the ridge by nightfall if we're unhindered."
The varisian came back after settling her stomach. She helped go through the treasures and couldn't help but hold up the corset. "I, actually kinda like this." She said with a slight smirk. "Though I don't think it's a good idea to wear it now hmm?"
Esmarelda turned her attention to trees and the higher ground. She nodded in agreement as she turned and looked at Gall. "Yes, I think the high ground would be a better call honestly." She answered. "Even if they stayed to the shore, we should be able to see them from there... in theory..."
Eriziel will try and see if she can wear the wedding dress over her armor. If asked she responds,
"I can't adventure forever. I plan to settle down eventually, but not after a good long while. Want to test to what looks good on me."
I was forced to revise my assessment over the clothing that we found within the boudoir. As Esmarelda and Rizz checked out the fit of the feminine attire, I smiled and left the ladies to their fashions. Moving closer to Gall, I pointed in the direction of the higher ground.
"It's a sound plan, going to the higher ground. At the very least, it should give us some idea of which section of shoreline to search. Let's be off, shall we?"
I again employed my cutlass in the clearing of brush, hacking away at the thick fronds as we pushed westward.
I was forced to revise my assessment over the clothing that we found within the boudoir. As Esmarelda and Rizz checked out the fit of the feminine attire, I smiled and left the ladies to their fashions.
Moving closer to Gall, I pointed in the direction of the higher ground. "It's a sound plan, going to the higher ground. At the very least, it should give us some idea of which section of shoreline to search. Let's be off, shall we?"
I again employed my cutlass in the clearing of brush, hacking away at the thick fronds as we pushed westward.
Day 5 - Afternoon - Bonewrack Isle -
Cueta climbs the tree to which the tent is tied. She is able to stand just above the tree line and get a good view of the west. It appears that the swamp becomes dense and potentially unpassable to the west. However, there is a trail to the south which leads to the far shore and perhaps from there the group can work back west as the land there seems more akin to what she would expect of a tropical lost island.
Rizz waits around, cartography and good decisions not being her strong points.
Scampering down the tree, Cueta pulls a bit of bark from the palm she'd just climed. Popping the bark into her mouth, the deckhand chews on it thoughtfully, hoping she can keep her still roiling stomach calm.
"Lots of swamp, everything looks pretty impassible to the west, though we could got that way. May be just as quick to head south and then west, around the swamp. There's a trail that way."
Day 5 - Afternoon - Bonewrack Isle -
two barrels of very cheap perfume worth 25 gp each, a wedding dress inlaid with pearls and set with three tiny rubies (worth 400 gp), a whalebone corset set with mother-of-pearl inlays worth 20 gp, a dozen silver hatpins set with tiny obsidians worth 5 gp each, scattered gems worth a total of 250 gp, 56 gp, and 97 sp.
Pursing his lips thoughtfully at the suggestion from Cueta, Gall finds himself nodding in agreement. As he talks, he sets to tucking all the loot they came across that has not been claimed into a bag. Though, he probably folds the dresses and other finery in ways that may make some of the more ladylike among the group a touch concerned.
"Aye, best not to slog through them swamps, then. I reckon south, then west." Half-turning to regard Harmony, he cracks a bit of a teasing grin as he asks for her input. "Cap'n?"
"I don't want to go through the swamps again. I will not go through them. Lets take the road. It's safer... I would think." Esmarelda said with a slight smirk.
"Safer, but more traveled? I agree though. I'd rather fight things I can hit than muck that's trying to drown me."
Rizz is happy a course has been decided on.
I turned from the veritable wall of vegetation before me, and realized that going around this tangled mess would likely be the best.
"I'm less concerned about the danger, and more about the time it would take. The path would be most expeditious, even if it's not the most direct route," I ventured.
Day 5 - Evening - Bonewrack Isle -
The group marches through the "path". It tires even Gall to cut through the thick vegetation which has overgrown this path to the far side of the isle.
Finally though, as the sun begins to set you step out of the muck of the swamp and the fresh ocean air hits you full force. There is no beach to greet you at this spot on the isle. You stand at the edge of a rocky outcropping. The fall may not kill you but being dashed into the rocks below by waves may well finish you!
You take the rest of the daylight to march west finally reaching the river you crossed earlier through the swamp.
Harmony chuckles briefly at Gall's addressing her as "cap'n", shaking her head in amusement but making no verbal comment on it. "The trail sounds much more appealing than the swamp", she agrees with a nod of her head. "Because of that, it'll probably also be the spot to watch if anyone's watching, so let's be on our guard", she says.
Harmony lets the others hack the vegetation since neither her spear nor her club are well equipped for cutting sort of business. Once the group emerges through the greenery, she lets out a gasp of pleasure. "Ahhh, wind on my skin. So nice." She slaps a few of the mosquitoes that have stuck onto her from the swamp. "Thank Erastil, or Gozreh, or whoever for the winds. They should make this place less buggy than the interior of the island." As the day begins to wind down, she begins considering where to put down camp. "If we cross the river today, we can let our clothes dry overnight. If we camp on this side of the river and wait to cross until morning, we'll spend the morning trekking in wet clothes. So my suggestion is let's cross now, then have a naked campout."
"I second Harmony's idea. Mostly because I don't want to sleep next to a swamp..." Esmarelda said as she pointed her thumb towards the swamp. "If we can find another place to camp out, that would be a better idea."
Day 5 - Evening - Bonewrack Isle -
Although Gall does perk up a brow at the mention of a naked campout, he cannot help but nod in agreement. Taking the brief moment of respite to stretch his back and roll one shoulder, he chimes in, "Aye, seems for the best. Don't suppose any of ye brought yer blankies with ye? Might get a mite chilly this evenin', if not."
Rizz agrees in a chipper mood to finally have a breath of fresh air.
"It'd be nice to go on for a swim that I wasn't scared of drowning in."
It was a wise course of action that Harmony suggested -- crossing the river at dusk rather than getting wet at the outset of a new day. So we forded the river and pushed finally on to the edge of a line of cliffs. It gave us quite the vantage, and helped protect us on one side as we opted to bed down for the night.
I was exceedingly unhappy that we had not rescued our lost comrades, but I had hopes they would still be alive. However, I knew we could not tarry, nor waste time. So as much as the prospect of the suggested naked campsite lifted my spirits, I knew it could not be the revel that it would be under lighter circumstances.
As I shook out my shirt and doffed my breeches, I smiled at the ladies. "As enjoyable as Harmony's idea is, friends, we should not lose sight of our goal, and that is to find our wayward shipmates and return to the Man's Promise before Mr. Plugg decides to leave us all here on this strip of land."
Still, I couldn't help but take a few sidelong glances at the ladies, and give them an appreciative wink when they disrobed. Besides, I had little doubt they would do the same to Gall and myself.
"Plugg wouldn't leave without water. That'd kill everyone on board." Esmarelda said as she pulled off her shirt and look back at Artevious offering him a playful smirk when she caught him looking. "Trying to catch a look at what you've already seen? Or just getting a chance to see all of us?" She asked as she gave him a wink.
"Reckon the lass is right. I'll keep me things on until we got this shelter made. No sense leavin' me twig and berries out 'round all the twigs and berries, if ye follow me," Gall suggests, mostly to himself, as he goes to begin making their camp for the evening. He gathers what fallen logs and limbs he can, chopping down more if necessary, to get a roof over their heads and a warm fire for the night.
Once that is done, he wastes no time in getting out of his soaked clothes and sitting down in the grass by the fire. Despite being stark naked, he neither tries to show off nor hide himself. Maybe he is used to this sort of thing.
Like Artevious, he does give the girls a quick look over, but nothing so bold as the swashbuckler. He is well aware he does not have the panache or bravado for that. "So, who's got a good story fer the evening?"
Day 5 - Night - Bonewrack Isle -
Cueta provides a bawdy tale that leaves even Gall blushing once she is done. Rizz considers a night time swim but the climb down the rocks seems to risky even for her taste.
The group takes turns at watch.
Whether by luck or by virtue of how deserted this place is, nothing disturbs your camp.
Day 6 - Morning - Bonewrack Isle -
Feeling refreshed the next day, do you continue to the summit west as previously discussed or head south down the shoreline as no swamp appears to bar you that way?
"Climbing to high ground would still give us a good overall view of the island", Harmony says, and puts a finger to her chin as she looks thoughtful. "But now that we have a better view, the lowlands seem slightly tempting too, since they look so easy to traverse. We could make much better time going south. But is making good time important if we don't even know where we're going in the first place? Maybe the priority should be going west and getting a better picture of our surroundings? Opinions?" she asks.
Gall gets up bright and early by virtue of having drank a bit too much water the night before. Which gives him plenty of time to get re-dressed in dry clothes before anyone else can oggle the mountain of a man. Aside from whoever had the last watch, of course.
Regardless, he carefully buries their fire and settles in to wait for the others to rouse themselves. "Ye know," he suggests to whoever was unlucky enough to get last watch, "goin' south might not be the worst idea. No swamp."
Rizz is sprawled out, snoring loudly, with spittle running down the side of her face. As someone wakes her Rizz makes no motion to stifle the yawn the spread across her face as she stretches out the kinks of the uneven earth beneath the bedspread.
"I'm with Gall." Rizz agrees. "No swamp is good in my book. At least I don't have to worry about sinking to my death."
As Esmarelda flipped through her spell book she listened to her friends talk. "I'm more with Harmony on this. I think we should keep west." The magus said as she closed her book. "While we are looking for our friends, we still need to find drinkable water. I feel like we'd find that further inland then closer to the shore. No?" She asked, then thought on it and suggested. "Actually, why not go south-west? Using some of the lower lands but still driving us further inland?"
Waking later than the others, Cueta stretches, as content as she'd been in a month, maybe more. Truth was, if they didn't have friends in dire danger, the swab would almost be enjoying herself. Overhearing the discussion, Cueta shrugs, and begins restringing her bow. The party seemed split, but Cueta had no mind for planning.
The deckhand closed her eyes and offered a brief prayer to Besmara, before standing and spinning in a circle quickly, five times, and opening her eyes, which fell upon the beach. "South for me. There'll be more fish and less bugs. Plus, the Pirate Queen wants us to go there."
Of course, such a foolproof method of divination would be hard to dismiss.
After a pleasant night but one I couldn't help resenting given our missing comrades' potentially dire situation, I was ready early to set out once again. But as I was ready to begin walking, it became readily apparent that we did not yet have a proper heading, as it were. Apparently my mates were rather split on the subject: should we tack westward and up the rocky ridge, or head south first along the easier beaches and dunes?
I folded my arms as I pondered. "It seems to me that just like on the northern shore there was the remnants of a village, we would most likely find anyone living on this island to be set along the shoreline. That would mean south. And therefore the best hopes of finding our friends. But we must make up our minds, and quickly. We have no idea what fate has in store for them if we tarry."
Day 6 - Mid-Day - Bonewrack Isle -
The group heads south though shading west at Esmarelda's suggestion. Within fifteen minutes the crew finds a dirt path cleared of vegetation which has not yet overgrown. The path leads north and south. As the swamp is north the crew decides to continue heading south to see where that path leads.
Soon enough heading due south along the path the crew sees towering palm trees in the distance stretching along a white sand beach for a mile or so, each around 50 feet high and crowned with a wide canopy of palms brimming with coconuts.
Contrasting this peaceful sight, the crew once again sees the creepy scrimshaw covered skeletons standing as silent sentinels of death in the surf.