"Strangely, a ruined tower actually sounds quite interesting. Should we be seeking to find the captain and crew, that might be the place to start. Does anyone have any other thoughts? I still would recommend a night's rest before we do anything." Turning back to the gnome, "As the lighthouse was meant to warn ships away from rocks," Aerys gestures rather drily to the wreck of the Jenivere, "Are we perhaps near it now?"
"I think we should rest and head out at first light. I will take first watch." Darius looks around at his companions. With the smile on his face, it is hard to tell if he is even bothered at the prospect of being ship-wrecked.
The other passengers agree, and Ishirou offers to stand second watch. Jask Derindi again asks if he might get his things back, saying that they would likely have been stored separately in the captain's quarters.
Aerys opens the footlocker brought from the captain's quarters. "Sorry, Jask. Are these the things you were looking for?"
Jask walks over to the footlocker, opens it, and begins going through its contents. First, he pulls out the suit of leather armor and puts it on. After that, he removes the two loose potion bottles, the holy symbol of Nethys, the pouch full of spell components, and the well-crafted dagger. He then returns to his corner of the shelter and begins to meditate prior to curling up to sleep.
Alexi needed to get to Sargrove, and didn't much like the thought of venturing on any side excursion, abandoned watchtower or not. It was unlikely to offer anything that the jungle could not provide. Also, Alexi was exhausted from preparing shelter and finding food, and no-one had even bothered to say so much as a thank you.
Feeling cross, Alexi checked on Ahti and Nimrod and immediately went to sleep, intending to be up early in the morning, well before the others were ready to depart, to butcher the deer and prepare and pack what could be brought for travel.
Varrick packs sand into the rough outline of a pillow, looking a little pleased with himself he offers to take the last watch. He makes a few final checks on the liquid he has been slowly filtering and lays in the sand, tossing blankets over himself.
The night goes fairly quietly, with only the usual jungle noises. Anybody who glances at the shoreline after sundown sees that the waves have begun to glow with a faint luminescence. This glow continues all through the night, and begins to fade as dawn rolls around.
As dawn rolls around, Jask Derindi wakes up and begins to meditate, focusing on his holy symbol.
As his companions begin to wake, Darius tells and retells what occurred doing his watch.
"Apparitions from the sea, venomous scorpions and tales of cannibals. This beach may not be the safest location for us. In my sleep, I was visited with dreams of our captain and Iena. But whether this holds meaning or was the last of the scorpion venom in my system, I can't say. I can only suggest trying to find this tower the captain seeks, but I must admit, it is in lieu of being able to think of anything better."
As you all come awake, you notice a variety of reactions among the other passengers. Aerys Mavato and Sasha Nevah, having gotten a solid night's rest, seem to be completely normal, albeit still somewhat taciturn. Mavato is on the jittery side of functional, as if her body was expecting something it didn't receive. Jask Derindi and Ishirou, although well rested, still seem a bit shaken to be marooned on an island inhabited, to their knowledge, by dangerous beasts and cannibals. Derindi's meditations don't seem to have helped him adjust to the idea of being marooned, although he is a bit calmer than he was. The Gnome seems to have fared the worst, however. Gelik Aberwhinge seems even more snarky than usual this morning, and his jokes have a larger dose of cruelty than they have previously. Of the lot, though, Ishirou still seems to be the only one with any interest in talking to any of you. The rest seem to keep to themselves.
Aerys thanks Alexi for the aid in healing, and then whispers: "You seem to have considerable knowledge of healing. Do you think something is physically wrong with Aerys Mavato?"
Seeing the other passengers uncommunitive, Aerys attempts to strike up a conversation with Ishirou. "I assume this unexpected stop is somewhat disruptive to your plans as well. What plans had you in Senghor?"
Darius attempts to talk to all of the group...the more distant they seem, the more he tries to engage them, his smile and good nature oblivious to their discontent.
-
Pausing in the middle of the grisly task of butchering the deer and preparing the meat and hide for travel, Alexi hisses back,
"This one did not notice anything amiss earlier, but will look again, if he wishes."
As Darius talks to the other passengers while preparing to depart, several of them seem to unbend a bit from their previous recalcitrant attitudes. Aberwhinge, Derindi, and Nevah all relax a bit, and eventually grudgingly agree to help out with preparing to move camp. Unfortunately, Mavato grows increasingly agitated while Darius talks to the group. Finally, as if unable to take the chatter anymore, Mavato stands and storms off into the jungle.
Aerys raises one eyebrow. "An old pirate stash holds a certain charm as well." He turns to Darius, z'Graggen, Alexi and Varrick. "What do you all think? Head to the tower first to seek the captain and Iena, or follow Ishirou's map? Or do they perhaps coincide?"
Taking a moment to locate North indicates that you are likely at the tiny inlet on the Northern end of the island. The body of the island is all South of your current location.
Varrick tilts his head and thinks for a moment, "If this place is really full of cannibals I think we will have more need for a secure shelter than for gold. A tower seems a lot easier to defend than a beach or even a forest clearing. I would go there first."
"And I suppose one of us should go chat with Movato...no use in getting separated."
Alexi's head shook in disapproval as Mavato disappeared into the jungle. But there was little to be done for one so foolish as that. Healing requires courage, and can not be forced. Adding one's own body as fungus-food accomplished nothing.
Alexi also did not care for towers or treasure. There was a mission in Sargrove to perform.
"Actually, it looks like Ishirou's treasure might be on the way as we head south. We could perhaps stop there on our way to the tower?"
"Treasure map or tower? It matters not to me. Both sound like a grand adventure. Iomedae will lead and protect us!"
"Well, then, let's head out! Gold, shelter, I'm not picky at the moment. It's an adventure either way!" With that, z'Graggen would begin packing up what supplies were pulled out yesterday while munching on a ration.
"Oh, Aerys. Here's yer spear back," he says as he hands it back to you. He pats the shortsword he got off Dever's corpse. "Won't be needing that now, will I?"
I can just make a googledoc for it, if that works for everyone.
Aerys nods his thanks to z'Graggen and takes back his spear. "Does anyone oppose checking out the location on Ishirou's map on our way to the lighthouse? Perhaps if we're lucky, we might find some weapons in this treasure cache to help us while we're here?" Turning to the gnome, Jask and Aerys Mavoto, he bows with a flourish. "Would the rest of you be inclined to join us on our little jaunt?"
Aerys nods his thanks to z'Graggen and takes back his spear. "Does anyone oppose checking out the location on Ishirou's map on our way to the lighthouse? Perhaps if we're lucky, we might find some weapons in this treasure cache to help us while we're here?" Turning to the gnome, Jask and Aerys Mavoto, he bows with a flourish. "Would the rest of you be inclined to join us on our little jaunt?"
Aberwhinge, Derindi, and Nevah nod their assent, and Ishirou seems eager to get started. In total, it takes perhaps half an hour to pack up the camp, making it roughly 6:30 AM. Ishirou offers to split the lion's share of the gear load. With some persuasion, Nevah takes some as well.
Varrick nods toward Aerys Trayjon, "I don't mind, and it might behoove use to gather provisions."
Varrick sees that nobody else has gone off after Aerys Movato and follows after. "Hello, Aerys, we are looking to leave soon, but I'd like to chat with you first if you don't mind."
Since nobody had helped receive the gifts of the jungle, Alexi wasn't planning on sharing of the jungle's bounty. Also, they could prepare their own shelter next time. By themselves. These foreigners were soft and Alexi wondered how long it would take them to succumb to the jungle.
Darius is happy to follow the crowd, he will speak if spoken to, but the humor seems to be gone now, replaced by the vigilant warrior. He carries his mace in his hand and his shield rests on his arm. He constantly glances about, ears and eyes straining for any movement. . .any danger.
Aerys Mavato doesn't return, and you all set off into the jungle, following the path you described. You pick your way through dense jungle, walking uphill until you reach the crest perhaps an hour after you set out. It takes you another hour of downhill travel to reach the edge of the jungle, and you stare out over a bay in the island. You are standing on the edge of a rather large cliff. You pick your way alternating between the broken edge of the cliff and the jungle.
About half an hour into this second leg, you pass a group of flying reptiles. Anybody who takes a look at Sasha Nevah sees her eyes light up at these new creatures, but she follows the group on. Noon finds you on the western side of the island at about the latitude of the inlet on the eastern side. The sun, having reached its zenith, begins beating down on the island, and steam begins rising from the dense jungle in the heat. Nevah asks when you'll be taking a break.
Aerys alters his stride to bring him alongside Sasha Nevah. "Do you recognize creatures such as those lizards that flew past?"
Seeing Nevah's discomfort, Aerys suggests to the group "Perhaps we should take a short break to eat and seek some shade?"
Darius smile at Aerys. "Agreed, my friend. It feels as if a fiend is breathing down my neck, heating me up like a forge."
Leaning against a tree, Varrick tries to get a better grasp of the plan. "I can't read a map particularly well, how long of a journey should we expect, should we begin to look for shelter?"
"It is getting hot. Maybe we should get out of the sun, rest a bit. Let's make camp." z'Graggen sets about, preparing a campsite as best he can.
As z'Graggen attempts to set up a campsite, Nevah and Derindi move to help out. It quickly becomes apparent that Nevah is much better at this than any of the others, and she soon takes the lead, with the others assisting. After an hour's hard work, a shelter is set up that keeps the sun off.
fort save if needed:
Seeing that the others have setting up camp in hand, Darius passes his time keeping watch.