"I agree. Those eggs have got to go. I don't mind scramblin' them if ya need me to," Corwin says, feeling the heft of one of the tridents.
"Let's get this stuff bundled up and back to our ship before we worry too much about dividing it up," Thren suggests. "So let's 'scramble those eggs', as Corwin put it so well, burn this wreck, and head on our way. Sound like a plan?"
"Let's make sure Rosie and our ride home are ready before we light any fires. Otherwise, yes, carry on."
"Let's get this set up and I'll light the fire. I burn less than all of you. And Corwin...I think scrambling the eggs will be fine." Thren says with a nasty grin.
Going back to the top deck, you can see sharks still in a feeding frenzy, now over each other. It looks like Rosie and Huldren have been taking potshots with their crossbows, and as one shark gets wounded, the others turn on it. You quickly help them dispatch the rest of the sharks with ranged weapons and cantrips. The flying crew members can help Corwin descend back to the jolly boat.
Threnody can easily find barrels of pitch to help her spread the fire in the damp, marooned ship.
Kahuranga will continue flying, giving Corwin a helping hand getting into the launch but avoiding the sharks as much as possible.
"Thanks for the hand. I appreciate the armor in combat, but it does make some actions a little unwieldy." When someone has a chance, he'll ask for a quick heal. No need to tempt the sharks any more than needs be.
Lark prepares to release the steadfast grapple as soon as Threnody is back in the launch. "Rosies and Corwin, get set to row off when I unmoor us. I'll shout and y'all heave!"
Our pyromaniac bard lets everyone else get back to the launch first, using that time to spread the pitch around until she thinks she's doused the sahuagin ship to the point of no return. Once everyone's ready to depart, she'll set it alight with the tindertwig in her pack. Assured that the fire's going to take she'll make her way to the launch and help get underway with the loot and her companions.
Threnody manages not to set herself on fire. The lit pitch catches easily, and Threnody can make a dramatic leap and slide on the rope down to the jolly boat just as the deck behind her catches aflame.
Lark easily gets the ship ready and, with sail, and oars, you get away from the ship well before you are in danger of it collapsing upon you.
The Besmara's Whim awaits safely for you, many of the crew cheering as they see you return and the smoke rising in the distance behind you. The crew work to bring the launch up and get you safely back... and of course there are many expectant eyes upon you, all no doubt wondering what loot you discovered.
Quinn raises an eyebrow at the blood soaked clothing and fresh new pink magically healed skin upon Thren and Lark. She takes a long inhale on her pipe and emits smoke rings that are perhaps a replacement for rude admonishments, before finally saying aloud, "Best get moving, any other ship sees that smoke, it'll draw them toward us."
Once they’re safely back aboard the Whim, Emberar beckons over Corwin and anyone else who’s still injured. “Pray with me?” Taking their hands (if they’re willing), he closes his eyes and intones, “Sunset Lord, we thank you for seeing us through the battle that we leave now. Thank you for granting us the strength of the sea, the swiftness of the wind, and the clear-eyed purpose of the sun. Now we ask that you close our wounds and guide our steps, that we may continue to sail to new vistas in your name.” As he finishes speaking, a warm golden light spreads from him around the group, and he moves among them offering quieter, personal prayers as well.
As the week rolls by, Emberar settles into his role switching off with Belinda at the helm. He also spends some of his spare time poring over the charts that the crew has of the Shackles, trying to ensure they’re on the best course to get home.
Thren spends the next week doing her job. Once she's cleaned up and back on her night shift, she approaches Xosrov. "You're pretty nimble up there," she points up at the lines overhead. "I've picked up quite a bit on my own, but I haven't had too much formal learning. If you've got time, care to teach me a trick or two?"
Corwin doesn't mind the half-elf taking his hand. And he appreciates the healing. But he doesn't really do prayer. He's not rude, per se, just non-participatory in that kind of thing. He nods his thanks as his wounds seal up and gives him a friendly shoulder-chuck. "It appears," he says to everyone and no one, "we may need to work a bit on tactics, like not rushing headlong into danger when there's someone else there to help take the hits for you." He smiles at Lark and Thren and goes back to doing his work aboard the ship.
In fact, he spends much of that week trying to drill the crew in group tactics. "We're gonna learn about teamwork, people. Knowing your assets and your limitations."
The crew's a little reticent at first, but after he shows them how much more effective a team can be versus a horde of self-serving individuals, they start to fall in line a little better.
"Great. Lark, I already got Sandara for this, Corwin's all yours!" Thren jokes to her captain. "Let's hope they don't start teaming up on us. They'll insist on us being safe and avoiding all the fun!"
"I'm not sure Sandara's admonitions are working for you, Thren. Are you sure you don't want to give Corwin a try with me? Lark jokes back at Threnody, but also fully endorses Corwin's training plan. The young captain works to keep the ship running smoothly, but makes time each day to join Corwin and the crew for at least part of their session.
"If they weren't working on me, I'd have been bleeding out long before you instead of only seconds before you!" Thren jokes back.
Kahuranga spends the week settling into his role as ship's mage. He works with Corwin to expose the crew to as much arcane trouble as he can conjure.
The crew at first dislikes being put through their paces with Corwin, but especially since all the officers are participating as well, to establish tactics between all levels of the crew, they soon relax. A few of the newer crew bellyache a bit under their breaths during the main meal of the day (the evening meal) but Giffer Tibbs and Barefoot Samms regale the crew with tales of the Wormwood's "gentle" approach to training, with Scourge and Krine's bitter words and bitterer lashings, and Corwin is looked upon more gratefully.
You make good headway such that when the winds get a bit slow, the time you make up for on windier days evens everything out. The weather is mainly fair--hot, but manageable. It rains off and on but nothing remarkable. When Belina is awake at the same time Emberar is, she points out sights they pass and how they correlate to the maps--and he realizes she keeps remarkably accurate and constantly updated charts of the seas they sail.
Soon enough you make it back to the odd little chain of islands where Ghoral Rey sits at the northernmost edge. The sun is hanging low in the sky, and you can see an occasional flash from the cliffs due to the low sun glinting off the glass of the lighthouse--it is not yet able to be lit, but clearly the crew has continued the clearing and cleaning of the great tower.
At some point Thren tracks down Lark during the trip back. "I had a thought. More like a worry." She begins. "We need to fill up the hold and pay the dragon a visit at some point. How much loot do we need yet? It's been a couple months. Not to mention we should probably get a lair built for him, like, say, where we ran into those cyclops."
"It's a good thought. We don't want to be late visiting the dragon and that cursed island isn't going anywhere." Lark agrees with Threnody and starts speculating aloud. "That giant shell is good start on the tribute we owe. Speaking of large things, I wonder if he'd like an ancient cyclops statue? Could we even get one of those into the hold? There's also raw materials from the island - lumber and whatnot."
"We also have the tusks from that animal we killed before the cyclops tried to mangle me. I had Jack doing scrimshaw work on them. What else do we have so far?"
Kahuranga and Corwin see for the first time the lovely jungle covered island, with cliffs all along one side. You sail to the eastward side and enter a large opening in the cliffs to arrive in a cove large enough to hold several ships. Beyond the shore are more, smaller cave entrances that lead deeper into the fortress.
You return to see an impressive sight: the drydock is nearly complete. The craftspeople and labor have managed to build an impressive area consisting of an artificial channel and series of cranes, where a ship will sail into the channel, enough water can be pumped out where a series of braces can be installed below the ship, and then cranes attached to the ship lift it up further out of the water so it can be repaired in its entirety. Only final touches need to be made to the attached workshop and shipwright's office, within the week.
The Fearsome Tide--a two-century old caravel that is beautiful in spite of its dilapidated condition--is not yet in the drydock--since it is not sailworthy, they need your help towing it into place . Then repairs can begin on it in earnest.
You are greeted by "Fishguts" Kroop, a stout, rotund middle-aged man with a face that clearly has seen a few fists and boots in its time. A black chicken sits upon his shoulder. He is dressed in an apron and chef's hat--in spite of his promotion to steward, he is still dressed for his old craft, as indeed, he has been feeding the workers. He reports all is well, with good fishing and hunting making it easy to feed the crew--but notes that those staying here are too afraid of jungle monsters to go inland to harvest fruit.
He reminds you that Captain Drakerider Fleetfoot of the Long Sunset will return shortly--within a few days, in fact--to pick up her crew. If you want to talk them into staying for good, you'll need to do so now and with incentive
Fleetfoot may also have more salvage to trade.
Lee pulls all officers aside and says to you:
"I've been thinking about this hard--oddly enough, I ran into a cousin of mine from Absalom while we were docked in Plumetown. My family's school has had some... let's just say, difficulties of the arcane variety. I have no... NO... NOOOOOOO desire to return to Absalom--my fate is with all of you here today--but I want to do some spell research that I can send over to my family via magic later on. I think I also need more time for Muffin to get used to his new form... or maybe I need more time to get used to it. I thought it would be really neat to have an intelligent, talking cat for a familiar, but suddenly he is a lot more noticeable..."
He rubs the back of his head. "Anyway, what I am getting at is I would like to stay here at Ghoral Rey to do my research. I can help with repairs as well and also do anything you need me to. Plus, I think having my spellcasting to help protect the island will help me sleep at night. I keep thinking about leaving just some fishermen and Kroop here alone--what if a dragon attacks or more of those cyclops show up?" He emphasizes his thought with a broad grimace.
"I've been working with Ursa, who seems a big fan of Thren and has a great head for bookkeeping. She's picked up things three times as fast as I did from our Quartermaster on the Kiss. I think she'd do a good job in my stead as Quartermaster. I'm sorry to abandon you like this, but I think it's for the best."
Threnody asks Xosrov to work with her on some fighting footwork on deck; he is flattered beyond words to be asked and works hard to help her. . Their training program will take five fays.
The work on the drydock will complete itself within the week without your assistance. The next agreed upon project was converting the cyclops' bunk area to something for suitable for smaller (relatively speaking) folk.
Emberar greets everyone at Ghoral Rey warmly - the place is already starting to feel like home, though he hasn't been there long. At the end of the first day, he seeks out Lark in his quarters.
"Captain, assuming you don't need me for anything else, I'd like to continue my investigation of that old observatory and any of the other interesting ruins you discovered when you were clearing out the place. I'm happy to help with something more pressing, of course, if there are practical things that need to be done, but if not..." He trails off, making his preference fairly clear.
"Lee...you and Muffin will be missed, but I'd sleep better knowing there's someone with some magic to help keep an eye on this place while we're not here." Thren admits readily. "Kahuranga is a decent enough sort and he'll supply that arcane might while we're out and about. And if Ursa's ready to take over quartermastering duties, that's the other half covered. You can keep an eye on things here, make sure whatever we've got building is actually being built too I hope." She claps her companion on the shoulder. "Hopefully Muffin won't get too fat without a ship to keep rat-free." She grins.
The bard turns to talk to Sunstruck. "See what you can figure out in the observatory. Just don't damage the place and don't take all year. At some point I aim to pick a cozy nook and claim it for my own personal space. Once the hatch to the hilltop's ready at any rate!"
"Corwin, I'd say keep drilling the crew while we're getting quarters built. Definitely try to work on things like boarding and repelling boarders, those might come in handy sometime."
When she gets a chance, Thren will stop to talk to Ursa about what's on the ship, what she'll need to take over as quartermaster, and so on. Then she'll see how Mary's doing. "We'd talked about doing coats or something for the crew if I remember right. Any ideas you want to run past me?" To Carlos, she'll recommend he spend time with Corwin, but make sure when she can she's there for drills and sees him at work. Derrick she'll talk with as well about what he'll need to help get lodgings built. Finch she'll leave be to mix with the crew.
The tiefling spends the best part of a week with Xosrov, learning every trick she can from him for moving through the rigging. Up and down cliffs. Trees. And then through the water. She comes to rest in the observatory each evening, piling up some blankets in a good spot, with a spot of tea. Weather permitting, she might even climb back outside to gaze at the stars.
Kahuranga will spend time exploring Ghoral Rey, a beautiful island hideaway. Somewhat unusually, he and Taniwha will also explore beneath the waters of the inlet arch and the watery surroundings of the area.
Thren tracks down Drakerider's team as they finish up the drydock work one day. "I'm not gonna lie, I love your work. Looks like things got done without trouble, which I love. We've got plenty more work in mind if you're up for staying here for a while. There's coin in it for you, of course." Thren jingles a pouch of gold for emphasis. "Care to stick around for a while?"
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Observatory
Emberar investigates the Observatory. He notices the carvings along the walls were once painted, the natural dyes having faded or chipped off with time. Runes in ancient Cyclops dot various shapes that look like constellations -- and indeed, a ring of carvings around the hatch look like a distorted (ancient) version of the Cosmic Caravan.
But the other carvings are otherworldly, esoteric... and then you recall that it is a "map" of various planes and how they intersect with one another. Furthermore, you find that if you trace the right pattern, you can learn about the denizens of the planes.
Once the room is repaired, and care taken to restore some of the crumbled carvings and paintings--as well as the hatch--you think the room could also be used for certain types of divination--not so much to answer specific questions, but gain a sense of how the movement of the planes interacts with the movement of Golarion and the stars, in other words using a sort of planar astrology to get a feel for whether something good or bad is coming during a certain period of time.
Fleetfoot's crew
The three craftsmen look at one another, talk among themselves, and nod in agreement. The shipwright, Seraphina, speaks for them. "Agreed. The seas have been getting hot of late, and I'd rather stay in a safe place with good paying work for the time being. You've got us for at least the next six months. If we get bored, I'll just build us a boat and we'll leave!" She laughs, clearly joking.
"Now that the drydock's almost done, don't forget to ask Stonekicker to look at that silly room with the door in the ceiling."
Underwater Adventures with Kahuranga
There is good and bad news for Kahuranga.
The bad news is the underwater scape in Ghoral-Rey's cove itself looks like a terror maze for merfolk. The home to an elder aberration for generations, as well as its primitive followers/offspring, the bones of their victims litter the floor of the cove; while the crew worked to clear newer, floating corpses and beasts from the surface, older remains have sunk to the bottom and gotten stuck in the rocks and seaweeed pools. As you swim around it is easy to suddenly come face to face with a human skull or some such. Some have even formed small ecosystems, with sea life growing on and around old bones. Other detritus litters the area as well, old, rusted weapons, pieces of ships, and smashed boxes and crates. Indeed, some of the remains predate Orsilir's domination of the cove and go back to the legendary Jemma Redclaw's use of the fortress as her pirate lair. Though likely most of this would be disintegrated, some could even go back to the era of Ghol-gan.
The good news is that indeed since the great incutilis lord Orsilir dwelled here for some time, there is an underwater hollow that looks oddly smooth--like over time someone worked to clear it out--where the creature slept or nursed wounds. It has a 10 foot wide entrance and expands to a 20x20 foot area within. It is oddly featureless (Kahuranga would not know this immediately, but the creature was capable of emitting secretions that hardened, and he likely "decorated" the lair with them; all such "black coral" has slowly melted and washed away since the creature's death), save for some soft seaweed on the floor of the cavern. On the upshot, it can be decorated or adjusted as one likes.
Thren gladly pays Seraphina and company the 100gp. "Glad to have you then! I'll find your man Stonekicker and ask him to look at the hatch, but right now I just want my crew to have places to sleep and eat. Pirates aren't always jolly, so if they can sleep well and eat well that might help a bit," the bard jokes.
Lark is happy to send Emberar off to his research, "Carry on, of course. At the end of the week, when the dry dock is done, I'll probably want your help moving the Fearsome Tide. We'll fetch you when we're ready."
The young captain is less enthusiastic about losing Lee from their regular crew, "Ah, your captain wants you shipboard, but your friend won't press you. If this is what you want, then you'll have it. You're right, too, it'll be nice knowing the isle is well defended."
Lark looks on with a carefully neutral expression as Threnody wrangles Fleetfoot's crew. As they leave he breaks into a wide grin and short applause. "Oh, nicely done! You're making this far too easy for me, I'm going to get spoiled."
Once the dry dock is ready Lark will call for all hands on deck to help tow the Fearsome Tide into place.
Corwin takes his time examining the home base. "Not bad. Got some good defensive stations, access to resources... not bad at all."
(to look for any areas that need to be beefed up)
In the meantime, he continues to work on whatever crew wishes to stay aboard. He's not really looking to make enemies, or friends, so much as people he can count on in a scrape. If anyone needs convincing, he's happy to help. That's about as social as he gets.
Kahuranga isn't overly disturbed by the dead becoming food and home for underwater species. Taniwha thinks the whole area is gross, especially since he is filtering all of this through his gills.
In the evenings, Kahuranga will drink and carouse as much as is available.
"Just remember you owe me Lark for all the times I've been skewered, stabbed, or crushed for you when it comes time to fix up the observatory," Thren banters with her captain and friend. "I paid for them out of my pocket too. I want a good reliable team around to fix this place up. Most of what we want to do can probably be done in half a year I imagine."
The crew with Lark's leadership has no trouble getting the Fearsome Tide into place. Doc Imogene literally shivers with anticipation of getting to restore the old beauty.
With new supplies in place, the offerings for food are pretty varied and tasty, although the crew on the ship, craving fresh fruit, are surprised to find the mangos and coconuts harvested on the island are being rationed out--they have to fight for them from the boars. Rum is still rationed and must be purchased beyond getting one's usual share, as Kroop has recognized they will otherwise run out quickly on the island. He himself seems to be doing better about helping himself to extra helpings, trying to set an example. You can see that he struggles, but just being away from the Wormwood and with safe employment has done wonders for him.
Conchobar tries to draw Kahuranga into a game of cards.
Corwin finds the "front" entrance to the fortress overzealously well protected if anything. Hidden behind a waterfall, the door can only be opened by playing the right three notes on a Gholgani shofar, or mimicking the sound thereof. It is extraordinarily well reinforced, both construction-wise and magically to boot, and flanked by a pair of statues that shoot scorching rays at anyone who approaches with the doors shut. The doors, when opened, close automatically after a minute or so. Whatever mechanism that controls them must be well built to still be in good condition after all this time. Now, if any structures are ever built on the island proper, they might need fortifications, but such projects are likely far off.
The "rear" entrance of course is the way you came in, through the large cave entrance to this underground cove. While sheltered from weather and not east to spot from far away, an enemy who knew the location could approach without being seen by anyone inside the cove until they were far too close--the same goes for sea monsters, a fact which is emphasized given the immediate prior owner of this place was a horror from the deep. The cave protects those within from bombardment, but a savvy pirate could bombard the cave mouth itself in hopes of creating a cave in, trapping the ships; weapons and magic capable of doing such a thing are rare, but they do exist, and definitely in the Shackles. There are also no defenses apart from the cave walls--no battery or watchtowers.