"Chakam, reel her in. She must have a ship and loot that we can track down. And make sure that flying monkey doesn't shove a healing potion down her throat."
Kahuranga waits to see if the wasp can finish off Vakarla. Seeing her swoon under the creature's sting, his gaze snaps back to the ship. Seeing Cog and Rosie tangled up with a tough foe, he decides to do his best to lend a hand. He drops toward the ship, leveling off at the height of the upper deck. He points a finger, and a ray much like Vakarla's sparkles and leaps at the Cuthroat (5).
The wasp instinctively follows its momentary master, keeping up, while Taniwha leaves Vakarla behind, flapping his wings wildly to keep up.
grappled (holder)
Chakam keeps the grapple against the enemy, not knowing if she was unconscious or not - but not wanting to risk. He pushes his appendages to pin her.
Vakarla very tangibly goes limp in Chakam's noodly appendages--even if she cannot be seen. The monkey flees, flying off past the fog cloud to get away.
The crew, seeing the transformed creature carrying an invisible but unstruggling Vakarla back toward the ship, try to withdraw and flee. Your crew strikes down many of them as they jump, and some, jumping reefside, land on the coral badly and end up killing themselves. Those who manage to flee run on the reef into the fog cloud. The cutthroat who had tried to take the wheel kneels and surrenders. The other dives off the rigging into the water and into parts unknown. You also have an unconscious, bleeding, and dying half-orc illusionist, and many of your crew express their fervent interest in seeing her finished off for her crimes against mariner and pirate alike. Wreckers are seldom admired by many.
Lark manages to get the anchor to drop, which saves the ship--the ship otherwise would have crashed into the wall of force just before it dissipated--but fortunately in under a minute's time, both magical walls disappear (Lark would take more fire damage before it does).
The fog cloud still hangs in the air, obscuring your immediate view from what is past it, and you expect that it has a much longer duration before it expires. It looks like the crew boarded your ship in part by walking on the coral reef to get to you. You can go on foot and/or swim, or take a launch down the other side of your ship and try to carefully sail around the reef to see where some of the others are fleeing to.
"I can grant the power of flight to one of you for a few minutes if we want to pursue them, but I imagine their leader knows where they are going."
He raises his voice to the crew, "Death is surely not the most creative means of doling out justice. We can do better than that!"
Thren swings, climbs, and leaps down to Sandara as fast as she can, safely or not, letting her song end. "No dying on me Sandara, we've miles of oceans to see yet,". As soon as she reaches the Besmaran, the bard sings a song and places her hand on the worst of the burns.
She then looks towards Chad. "Bring him over and I'll see if I can revive him too."
Chakam approaches Kahuranga, still holding the woman.
I bet you're right, mate. - he says, the voice sounding too different from his usual - I feel she's unconscious and may be bleeding, so we might need ta' stabilize her, first.
"Then do it quick, and search her first. Tie her too. She's obviously capable of pretty strong magic." Thren urges as she helps Sandara up and then Chad. "Unless the Captain wants to just throw her overboard and let her feed the fish, of course."
Vakarla's invisibility only lasts a few seconds, and can easily be tied up .
Chad slowly wakes, his eyes fluttering open as Threnody's healing song washes over him and heals some of damage his heart had suffered at the hands of the apparition. The look of terror that had been frozen upon the sylph's face is gradually replaced by one of confusion.
"Where..." he locks eyes with Threnody, and the confusion deepens. "Miss Nocturne... I am sorry, I must have fallen asleep. Where is Cap'n Fleetfoot? I need t' ge'im... the list o' wha' th' Kiss'l be needen'... when w' finally pulls in." The quartermaster slurs his words worse than a man drunk, almost as if part of his tongue just isn't responding to his brain's commands. He makes an attempt to sit up, but the effort just leaves him coughing.
"Can... ye see if'n... Master Greenwood... be avail'ble? Might need s'me... doct'r'n' iff'n he's free. Naught sure wha' came o'er me."
Lark binds Vakarla and tries to staunch the worst of bleeding. "I've no mind to spend much healing on her, but it's probably wise to keep her breathing until we've secured our prize." He surveys the deck, trying to take stock. "Her crew is fleeing, but how soon can we give chase? The Tide will take some work to get off this reef and I don't love the idea of sending the bulk of us haring by foot or small boat." Lark pauses, then points to Chad, "And someone get that man a drink. He's not all the way back with us yet."
Thren looks at Sandara sympathetically, then back to Chad. She does her best to support both of them as they get their bearings. "Lark's fine, I'm fine, and you're a bit more addled than I am from my various near-death experiences. Usually. There's a drink coming, that might help to get you back on your feet. Fight's over, we've won, but we got a prisoner or two to deal with, some work on the ship to get off the reef, and treasure to find. You definitely need some healing, so does Sandara. Sit still for a minute. We'll get all our wounded sorted, which means you." She smiles winsomely. "And don't call me Miss Nocturne. My name's Threnody, it isn't hard to say, and I go by Thren for when I have to deal with drunken pirates. Not hard to remember. Say it with me: Thren." The bard teases.
He points toward the rocky end of the shore and the dark clouds. "That's where you'll be headed, my lad, though, if you go. When you go. Remember me, when you sail into the Eye. You will see the worms that sent us here, the worms who carry the rot to these islands. I am not asking you for vengeance, though. Keep your sights on the prize. Listen to the winds, whether fair or gale."
Then he barks as he would have in life, "Now back to work with ya, this ship won't sail itself!"
The song grows louder... and you are lying on the deck, a familiar tiefling looking over you."[/b]
Lark tends to Vakarla and stabilizes her. You could probably awaken her to interrogate her, or leave her in her catatonic state. "Cut her throat!" you hear Huldren urge. "She'll play with our minds again if she wakes!"
Yamtisy pauses from barking orders to the crew, including demanding someone find Derrick and Swifthammer to come up and fix the winch, and addresses the officers.
"Most of the crew, best as I can tell, ran across the reef to board. Could be they moored some ways away, to avoid damage to their own vessel. Or maybe they operate straight off the rocks. We can keep her and her man tied up and well guarded while we work on fixing the ship and getting it off the reef while you figure out where they came from. You could wake her and question her, but I've seen these types often enough--they have no mercy in them, and more pride than fear for their own lives." She finishes with a palpable silence that perhaps suggests she would prefer the same mercy shown to them as they would show the crew--but also suggests she does not want to tell you what to do.
Tilly Brackett brings to you the rope many of them used to climb aboard the ship. It wiggles in her hands slightly of its own accord, seemingly--a rope of climbing.
Vakarla has on her person the following:
potion of cure moderate wounds
scroll of knock (arcane CL 3)
scroll of water breathing (arcane CL 5)
wand of shield (20 charges)
masterwork falchion
masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts
cloak of resistance +2
a portable periscope (oddly, this does not look like it is designed to be attached to any sort of nautical vessel equipment, but something you could carry to perhaps hide in the water and peer out of it, or hide in something else and peer out of it)
a spyglass
a watertight scroll case with engraved bronze caps (empty)
spell component pouch
bicorn hat
The cutthroat has
studded leather (which he is still wearing as he is still alive)
falchion
light crossbow with 10 bolts
a throwing axe
A small pewter flask containing cheap rum
Chad blinks a few times at Thren's words, as if trying to make sense of them. "Th- Thr - Thren..." he finally gets it out on the third try, by which time the ordered drink arrives and he takes a cautious sip of it.
"Right. Sorry... things comin' back t' me now. I was jus' haven' a conversation with ol' Master Golly." He smiles weakly, "Has 'is own island with th' rest of the crew. Seemed t' be peaceable enough, but no' fer me yet."
Again he struggles to sit up, managing to get halfway propped.
"Did tha' fly'n' hag get wots comin' to 'er yet?"
"Golly? Sounds like you were trying to jump the line in the Boneyard there Chad. Take it from someone with more than a little experience in the matter: don't." The bard then looks over to Vakarla. "As for the hag, not yet. I haven't heard what the captain wants from her, presumably where her treasure is. After that, we'll see. I might be staining my blade with her blood." The tiefling woman looks at Chad, Sandara, and around the ship. "It'll be a pleasure."
After making sure the enemy was well tied and gagged, Chakam sat down on the ship, visibly tired - yet still on his newest large shape.
We should probably try ta' follow from where they came. And soon. Ay' fear this mah' not be tha' full force. - the voice sounds deep, but the accent is really weird to hear on the creatures shape.
"Chakam, perhaps you could take the form of some sort of flying creature, and I could grant flight magic to one of our number. I can also turn Taniwha into another giant wasp, which someone could ride. And someone could ride you? My magics will only last for minutes, but if we find nothing on the other side of the fog bank we can return."
Conchobar calls down from the rigging. "The problem isn't the fog, it's things like that ship that wasn't even real! Even now above the fog I see reefs and water where there may be water and reefs! She is a talented enough mage some of her illusions may last for ages... unless you either are strong willed enough to try to close enough to them that you can force yourselves to see past them... or have a means of dispelling..."
"Or we wait, and hope those guys that got away don't bring back reinforcements." Quinn observes.
"Or we send her to face Pharasma and hope that makes her magic fade faster," suggests Cogward. "But I doubt we would be that lucky."
"Okay, I think we should chase them now, across the reef. If we can't find our prize then maybe we get Vakarla talking. For now I hope she stays out." Lark looks directly at Yamtisy, "If she gives you any hint of trouble while we're gone don't hesitate to finish her off."
"Sandara, can you get Chad moving again? And maybe a little extra healing for the rest of us, if you've got it? While you're at it, you can add my thanks to Besmara that you and Chad pulled through."
Chad nods. "Aye, told me... had more I be wanten' t' do... 'efore then." The sylph shakes his head. "Dark clouds... on th' horizon... and in it... danger... an' opportunity..." He trails off, merely nodding at the news of his attempted killer.
Hearing the captain's command, he attempts to stand and retrieve his bow, finally managing it this time.
"Aye, please... pass my... thanks... as well..." he says with a weak smile to Sandara as he gets closer.
Sandara nods and waves at everyone. "I'll do what I can, gather around if you're injured."
The Besmaran taps into divine power and lets the blessings of the Pirate Queen come forth. She does this not once, but twice to all close by.
Chakam moves his large whisperer arms towards the crew, as if complementing what Lark said.
Keep her tied, gag her and put a bag on her head fah' now 'til we get back, and I doubt she will be much trouble.
Chad seems a bit more limber after the healing energies wash over him.
"Thank you. If nothing else, my head is a bit clearer now. Do you want us all t' go over the reef, Captain, or should some of us try to circle around in th' dingy?"
As he waits for the answer, Chad picks up the bicorn hat that Vakarla had been wearing and plops it on his head. "Even assuming we don't kill her, I think she owes me at least this much." He spots the healing potion and takes it from her belongings as well. "Hopefully won't be needin' this, but Desna knows it be best t' be prepared."
"The right hat is important for a pirate," Thren jokes as Chad claims the bicorne. "And I'd say we should patch you up a bit more before we go."
Although none of Chad's injuries were visible to the eye, it is clear that the healing wand seems to fix the bulk of what was wrong with him. The color returns fully to his face, his stance straightens and strengthens, and he is no longer struggling like an overburdened mule just walking across the deck.
Those of you not flying climb out over the side of the ship to step onto the reef, possibly using the rope of climbing to lower yourself down.
Chakam, senses attuned sharply, knowing they were fighting a wizard who conjured images of whole ships and heart-attack-inducing visions, focuses carefully on the terrain around them, and makes out where the reef and water around them doesn't look quite right. As all of you follow Chakam's guidance, with Chad and Thren nearly about to step straight into deep water, you all take a few minutes and refocus until the reality of the reef becomes apparent to you--still a confusing stretch of reef and water, but now rightly ordered and water all flowing in the right way. About 20 feet from the fog cloud is a small launch. In the distance, sailing away as rapidly as it can, is a small lugger, featuring the fleeing members of Vakarla's crew. They appear to be headed toward the open sea. While the towboat is not a fast vessel, the time it will take to both fix your anchor winch and get your ship off the reef safely, they will be long gone.
Not far from you are the shattered remains of two other vessels. One of them you can see "-ady's Sting" still painted along what remains of its bow.
Yamtisy leans over the edge of the rail while you still stand there. "The lout that Cog and Rosie captured says he'll tell you where Vakarla hides if you guarantee him safe passage to the nearest port. What say you?"
"Looks like we might have to, Captain. Those wrecks there h've been picked clean by looks... or close to it. Not very likely it still be here, or any of their other booty."
"You sure, Chad? It's always possible something was missed...." Thren notes with a hint of greed. Maybe also just a hint of something else: boredom perhaps? Then she shrugs. "That said, if he wants to tell us what we need to know, it'll make this faster. I'm for that deal. And then we can deal with that mage and be working our way back out to sea."
Chad nods emphatically at Thren. "Aye. Not saying there be nothing there at all, just that most of the good stuff be gone already. They even got most of the decorative carvings on the sides removed already for Desna's sake."
Chad shakes his head and spits into the seas. "Like I said, we might find something if we searched for a while... just not sure it would be worth the time and effort is all."
Chakam nods in agreement with Chad and Thren.
Yes - I believe our job may be don' here already. We should have a small chit-chat with our baby girl tied back there.
"I'll burn that ship into memory, and perhaps we will meet it again. We were asked to recover Calistria's treasure, not to hunt those who took it, though it sticks in my craw to see them escape. Let's find this illusionist's treasure if this loose lipped fellow is telling the truth. And woe to him if he is not."
His gaze turns back to the escaping ship. "Still...I hate to let them go..."
"We're here for a mission. Unless we think those fools are fleeing with the loot we're looking for, we can let them go. Without their captain, they're nothing special." Thren shrugs. "Unless the Captain has another plan, I say we find out what that prisoner can tell us and put him to port at first chance if he speaks true. Sooner we're back to the Calistrians, the higher morale will be." The tiefling grins.
Hearing the opinion of his crew, Lark calls up to Yamtisy, "We'll make the agreement with the crewmember. We'll drop him off at the nearest port--but keep him shackled in the bilges until then."
After a few moments, Yamtisy reports that he says Vakarla's base is to the east, around a high reef, two miles from here. You know that the monkey flew off in that direction, the crew has fled in the opposite direction.
Kahuranga's eyes light up. "Excellent, that isn't far at all. Let's get there quickly. No need to wait for repairs."
"Does he know if there were any left behind to guard the stuff? Or if she had left any traps?"
The response from the cutthroat, who says his name is Targ, is relayed to you:
"We never dared set foot inside. She hid the place with her spells but those'll wear off eventually. Elsewise, Vakarla always assumed she'd win, I don't know if she planned for intruders."
Meanwhile Kahuranga casts fly on Chad and transforms his familiar into a wasp. Taniwha is not keen on serving as someone's mount, per se, but he's okay with Threnody since she has such excellent taste in hats.
"Thanks Taniwha." Thren scritches the small dragon before the transformation. She gingerly mounts the wasp after that. "Let's go!"