If Sandara needs help, Sal pulls Sandara clear of the dying octopus's beak and helps bring her to the surface, where she lets out a mighty yawp of victory. "YEAH! That's what I'm talkin' about! Grilled octopus on the beach tonight! Samms, git some trawlin' lines hooked up so we can drag this thing to shore with the jolly boats. The rest of yas, get ropes down here already and help get everyone back on deck!"
Sal makes sure all those overboard are safely brought topside before she climbs back up to rejoin the crew.
To Thren, "Yeah, the venom sac's in the belly, but the tentacles should be good to eat. I reckon Beryl will enjoy the challenge and can pickle or salt what we can't eat."
"I'd be careful about drawing too much attention with fires... but it would be a waste to leave it..." Riori says.
As soon as Sandara's safely aboard, Riori lays hands on the obviously wounded pirate. "Protector of all travelers, see to this servant of the seafaring goddess." Remembering Sal warn about poison, she casts neutralize poison first.
Doc Imogene, who has dashed over to help, checks Sandara's vitals. "I don't think that took."
Riori clears her throat, looks to the heavens, and says, "I said, see to this servant..." and casts the spell again.
Doc Imogene nods, hand on Sandara's wrist. "That's it, pulse is settling."
Riori follows up with a cure moderate wounds.
"How are you feeling, Doctor Quinn?"
"A bit wobbly. Lingering poison effects I reckon. But it feels like it's gone. Thanks for the quick aid." Sandara replies as she feels the poison fade from her veins.
White, sandy beaches encircle this deep, sheltered bay, stretching nearly two miles in every direction. To the north, a massive waterfall plummets from a high escarpment rising just above the treeline. The white stone walls of a seaside fort gleam on the western shore. A single tower reaches skyward from the fort, crowned with a torchlike fixture of dazzling crystal.
You have about four hours until the sun sets.
If Sandara is unable to attend to herself Riori will also cast lesser restoration a a couple times.
Sal meanwhile assesses the position of the sun.
"We've got a few more hours daylight. I think we should see to butchering this thing and disposing of the remains carefully to draw away any predators toward it and not us. Then get some rest on the ship, so we can get to explorin' bright and early. While I'm eager to get goin', we need to make sure everyone's alright and secure the ship and all and give Quinn time to finish healin' up, so may as well do it right."
"I agree with you Sal." The tiefling woman nods. "While the sun is up, I'm going to get the best view I can with a spyglass, see what there is to see. Make sure to set a strong watch tonight, just in case. Who knows what's living on this island...or moving but not living. In the meantime...I think I'd like my octopus fried." Thren grins. "Or perhaps sauteed. I'll take some to Sandara myself."
Sandara accepts Riori's help without complaint. "Thanks for the assistance. I can heal myself up easily enough.But that poison's a potent brew."
Ekote turns to Sal and Thren. "If you like, I can help remove the remains of our attacker. I can fly or swim as needed; the depths are as much home to me as land, and I am prepared to take to the sky to haul away the remains and leave no trail back to us."
Sal grins at Ekote. "Great! I think if Samms and Giffer hook up some lines to the ship's boat to the body of the thing, and you and I take one of the tentacles on either side, I think we can drag it ta shore. I'm already soakin' wet I may as well keep swimmin'!" She puts her hands on her hips. "An' maybe if we're bored later, you an' me can have a race!"
To the southwest you see a low beach that fades into a long low palm forest. The treeline ends at an upthrusting plateau, and from that plateau are bare rocky hills and ridges rising hundreds of feet above the bay.
North of that is a fort of mixed construction. The tall central tower is built with huge ancient stones, but the 15 foot white walls of the fort are obviously newer construction and the roofs of wooden buildings peek up from within. Next to the fort is a stream that flows out of the interior and you can see the shimmer of a distant lake. You could take a boat into the stream, but not sail into it.
North of that is another ridgeline covered in trees that rises into a higher ridge from which the waterfall drops.
You can just barely glimpse a tall tower far inland that sits on a much higher plateau. From there you could probably see most of the island and the surrounding seas.
"A fine plan. How long can you hold your breath?" Ekote beams a friendly grin at Sal as they get ready to finish dealing with the carcass.
Sal flaps the gills on her neck with a grin and says, "Long enough to beat you."
They were at one point vestigial but Sal has slowly worked them into some level of functionality.
After Sandara is taken care of, Riori walks over to the clearly battered Sal and says, "Once you're done trash-talking, do you mind if I heal those abrasions?"
"Good! Perhaps we can swim a lap around the island once it is claimed." Ekote grins at Sal.
Thren smiles to herself as she listens to Sal and Ekote banter.
"All right. Let's call it a night. Get ourselves set up, and we'll start exploring in the morning at full strength. I want a watch tonight in case of trouble. Last time I explored an island, it didn't end too well. So I want no surprises. We can resupply while we're here, the water's probably quite fresh. Probably animals to eat, maybe fruit. We can't live on octupus alone, even one that big." The captain laughs.
Ekote takes a turn with the spyglass and looks towards the fort.
Looking at the fort, Ekote can identify three distinct periods of construction. The tallest tower is clearly ancient and Cyclopean in nature (as is the tower you can see far inland). The wall is a more recent stone construction, likely Chelaxian, and the wooden structures you can see peeking up from inside look more like the wooden structures of coastal Sargava.
"Just a reminder, Captain, my divination suggests supplies or abundance ashore may be at risk and that the crew is safest staying close to the ship. I'm not going to argue with dragging the octopus to shore to handle it, because it'd be silly to bring it aboard. Likewise I've no argument with seeking out fresh water either, although I'll note I can create about 18 gallons of water with a single orison if we're desperate. Just noting a need for caution for whomever you send for supply. If of course those of us going inland find anything we'll do what we need to."
Riori will join in whatever feast is had but remain on alert as needed (though of course tries to rest to be sure her spell capacity is refreshed).
In the morning she uses her own personal stash of coffee to make some in the morning, sharing any with any officers who would like some.
Sal helps drag the octopus to an appropriate place on the beach along with Ekote and choice crew members, and butchering its tentacles and letting the cook Beryl go to town with however she would like to prepare and preserve them.
She makes sure the remains, particularly the body that contains the poison sac, is carefully disposed of and dragged well away from where they are on the beach or near where the ship is anchored, hoping to draw scavengers toward the easy leftover meat and thus leave them alone.
She'll grab some canvas from the stores to fashion a shelter if they need one while exploring.
In the morning she prepares a few prayers to Gozreh she's managed to pick up along her adventures. She follows the Captain's lead on where to go, but takes point if she's allowed to try to spot potential dangers--and draw attacks away from more delicate party members.
Ekote begins the new day sitting on deck, spellbook in his lap, near the prow. His pose is relaxed, a cross-legged stance, one hand idly rubbing the amulet around his neck as he prepares his magics. He awaits the Captain's orders.
Thren's morning begins like so many before: tousled, drowsy, roused by Sandara on threat of judicious application of water-creation magic. Still, she has a mug of tea in hand as she looks about the bay for any signs of activity before getting her mind together.
To the crew: "Stay close to the ship. Gather food and water as you can, I want us to maintain supplies in case a quick departure is in the cards. Watches will keep alert for monsters or other ships. Don't stray far from the ship; I'd rather you fished than hunted but I don't grudge you bringing down game on the beach."
To her officers: "I can't think of a reason to avoid the fort as a starting point. If it's inhabited and friendly, great. If it's not friendly, we need to deal with it now. If it's uninhabited, it might tell us a bit about the island and give us a good starting point for exploration. Objections?"
As Sal shakes her head, Riori says,Sounds good."
Sal helps drag the octopus to an appropriate place on the beach along with Ekote and choice crew members, and butchering its tentacles and letting the cook Beryl go to town with however she would like to prepare and preserve them.
She makes sure the remains, particularly the body that contains the poison sac, is carefully disposed of and dragged well away from where they are on the beach or near where the ship is anchored, hoping to draw scavengers toward the easy leftover meat and thus leave them alone.
[dice=Survival]1d20+14
She'll grab some canvas from the stores to fashion a shelter if they need one while exploring.
In the morning she prepares a few prayers to Gozreh she's managed to pick up along her adventures. She follows the Captain's lead on where to go, but takes point if she's allowed to try to spot potential dangers--and draw attacks away from more delicate party members.
[dice=Perception]1d20+16
Sal, Beryl, Crimson, and Badger take a boat and haul the octopus to the beach, trailing blood and ink. By the time you reach the beach, you have attracted a frenzy of dog sized sharks with jaws like round buzz saws. The rip some bits off of the octopus, but there is plenty to go around...
The gates of the fort face stream the flows from inland. The gates have clearly been shattered by some great force some time ago. The entryway and the square courtyard beyond are overgrown with weeds. The buildings you can see within have broken windows looming dark and silent.
Several beams have pulled free from the foundations of the stone towers flanking the entrance where the main gates shattered, causing the towers to now lean precariously. There is no access from the ground, but probably from the battlements above.
"Ya think it's safe ta climb?" Sal asks. "I could get my magic rope to tie itself something up about 50 or 60 feet and try to get up... if there's anything safe to attach it to..."
"I might use a spell to fly up there easily enough. though I did bring a wand with me to let us climb like spiders if you prefer." The mage suggests.
"Yamtisy, you're in charge while we're ashore. Expect us to check in regularly. Keep vigilant, come ashore for minimal supplies. I doubt the Chells will find us here, but more seafood might."
"I must note that climbing on the towers is not a wise course," Ekote continues. "They may well collapse."
"Well, while I also got a potion for flying, I'd rather not use it just yet. Maybe we explore the courtyard first, and stay outta the towers that might fall on our heads."
Sal crosses through the shattered gates and into the courtyard, seeing if any buildings look safe enough to enter.
Beyond the fort’s shattered gates stretches a square courtyard, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by multiple buildings, their broken windows looming dark and silent.
Many of the buidlings are essentially ruined, with collapsed walls and roofs. The only building that has an obvious purpose is a chapel with a symbol of Aroden over the entryway.
Following behind Sal carefully, Riori takes in the sights.
"Cor, that's the symbol of Aroden, the dead god. This place has been wrecked a loooong time."
She peers through the door, while Sal stays close by to watch out for unexpected visitors.
Thren shrugs and ambles into the courtyard as well.
Ekote nods in agreement with Sal and makes his way into the facility. He murmurs a brief cantrip to look for magic.
Once you move within the walls and get a good look at the various structures, a clearer story for the construction becomes clear. The large circular tower is obviously ancient, formed of huge stones and probably built by cyclops. The stone walls of the fort, the chapel, and the stone foundations of some of the other buildings are Chelaxian in nature from five or six hundred years ago. The wooden buildings, second stories, rafters, etc., are a recent addition and largely Mwangi in style. All in all it makes for a strange picture.
Peering into the chapel, you see that only a handful of pews still stand, others have fallen long ago and lie scattered and broken on the floor. A large circle encompassing a winged eye forged of gold hangs from the twenty-foot-high ceiling.
Ekote sees a flicker of magical auras on the ceiling, but they are intermittent and hard to interpret.
"Been a long time since this was built," Ekote notes. "This style predates the death of Aroden by centuries."
"I bet that old holy symbol will be worth some good money in the right hands. If we can take it, later if not now, we should."
While still outside, Riori's eyes wander up at the Mawangi wooden structures built upon the fortress. "Odd. Reminds me of the Shingles."
Inside the chapel, her eyes too fall on the holy symbol. "Well, I'm not normally keen on purloining sacred items, but it's not like Aroden's around to fill it with any blessing. But how do you propose getting it down without it either falling on our heads or denting it?"
"Problem for later." Thren says cheerfully. "We haven't gotten through exploring this place yet."
Sal leans on her spear with a thoughtful look. "Well, if this place is ours, or becomes it, we'll time for looting once we're through. Meantime, let's try the place next door."
As she leaves the room, she scratches her head. "I ain't so curious as to what chased the fort builders away--could be anything from that long ago. But I'm more worried as to what chased off those who built up onto it later."
Sal moves from the chapel and checks the door closest to it, careful to be sure she doesn't trigger a collapse from opening it, if it is not open already.
As Sal turns her attention to a new building, she gets a possible answer to her question...and magic flashes in Ekote's vision.
Suddenly, the air around you shimmers, and four enormous spider shaped creatures with strange twisted humanoid faces fade into being around you. Like spiders, they snap jaws at you. Then, like nightmares, they fade away into mist.
Ekote screams in pain as the large spider-creature bites him but he manages to handle the pain. Then he casts a spell after it disappears.
Sandara feels the toxin seeping into her blood and produces an identical copy of herself as protection from whatever is attacking.
Thren begins by casting a spell to let her see the invisible.
The bard then begins singing, blade coming to hand as she prepares for another attack.
Wahhe
