Sil'tchaak looks sideways at Carver and then at Alba. He asks, What is a chemist?
Purpose Creche sits back. His hand goes to the Pharasman pendant at his neck.
"I would relish a chance to search Ancorato for Azlanti remnants." His fingers bend around the symbol, engulfing it. "It would be a singular opportunity."
"In the meantime, what do you think of the Azlanti grammatical approach to direct and indirect objects? It's unique as far as I know."
Alba replies to Silt. "Well, I make all kinds of alchemical items and potions! I''ll set up shop as soon as we get to Ancorato. Where do you come from? Pardon me, but I've never seen anyone like you in Andoran."
Cedar, you spot a couple of fellow employees of the Bountiful Venture Company!
Perrell Beys is a human scholar and map-maker. She has extensive knowledge about the Azlanti, and will catalog any ruins or relics for the BVC. She also plans to create high-quality maps of the island, and has brought all of her map-making supplies.
Lyra and Perrell have somewhat overlapping roles, and this already seems to be causing tension between them.
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Cedar takes a deep breath, then walks over to Lyra and Perrell, greeting them with a wave.
”Hey, you both made it too. I bet you didn’t have any problems. I nearly forgot half my pack!” Cedar laughs. ”Are you settled in okay? I hope Ramona gave you a good cabin. My bunk mates are amazing. A fish-person, a dog-person, and a... wood-person? You should come say hi! I think you would have a lot to talk about.”
Alba, I am Sil'tchaak; some call me "Silt." Those who travel on boats know of my race, and call us Locathahs. We can breathe the air, even though we're not very well suited to living on land. My colony has traded with your species from time to time, and even help guide your ships. I come from there, a long ways. He gestures to the south.
I am a harvester of kelp. Perhaps there are natural things from the reefs that you can use in your potions. He gestures at the fishbowl. This is Llyu-Llyu. You are the first chemist she has met. Do you know if there are potatoes for dinner?
Toby scarfs his food quickly, so quickly that you wonder if he even tastes it. As soon as he finishes his plate, he looks over at Sil'tchaaks before catching himself. Instead, he turns and speaks to Carver. "Is there lots of exploring to do? I love exploring! Caves, forests, hollow logs: you name it, I'll stick my nose in it. How do we sign up for the exploring?"
Purpose Creche turns from a thoroughly engrossing conversation on Azlanti subjunctive constructs.
"I, too, would like to explore."
His matte iron gaze shifts minutely between Toby and Carver.
Lyra and Perrell greet Cedar warmly. The half-elf exclaims, "Oh, you've let your beard grow out! It looks great!"
The next day, between various chores and trainings, you notice a few more prominent colonists.
A man with raven-black hair, pale skin, and distinctly Chelish features argues with Ramona. "I just don't understand why I have to share quarters! Someone of my stature shouldn't have to share a room with such a brute!" Ramona gives him a smile that doesn't extend to her eyes. "Harcourt, believe me, the company appreciates your being here and expanding the Carrolby family business at our new site. But the ship really isn't intended to house this many passengers, and everyone has to share."
A large man with a bushy mustache rolls his eyes hearing Harcourt argue. "Can you believe that man? Thinks he's too good to room with me. We'll see who's too good when he has to come to me for shoes for all those fancy horses! My name is Luetin Calewick, by the way, and I'm the colony's blacksmith!"
Nearby, a woman practices her archery. She keeps collecting her arrows and shooting the same ones again, clearly looking to preserve her ammunition. She spots you and comes over. She keeps her head shaved, but her tan complexion, chestnut eyes, and runic tattoos clearly indicate that she is Shoanti. "Hello, my name is Anya Sandstrider. It is nice to meet some others who are not Andoran. I nearly didn't get selected for this expedition, but my hunting and tracking skills impressed them enough to include me."
Six long weeks go by, and it's difficult for the colonists to maintain excitement about the new adventure in the monotony of ship life. Still, people find ways to busy themselves. Many crafters of various kinds prepare materials, and farmers clean the goat pens. The crew of the ship is friendly enough, though they seem to look forward to having the crowd gone from the ship.
Finally, one morning, someone sounds the call. Land, ho! A few hours later, the Peregrine sails into a natural bay with a sandy beach within rowing distance for the ship’s boats. As the crew begins to untie one of the smaller boats to lower it into the water, the sailors pass a spyglass among themselves and finally hand it back to the captain. Captain Jacob Markosi peers at the island for a moment before grunting and handing the spyglass to expedition leader Ramona Avandth. “You should see this,” he says quietly.
Ramona accepts the spyglass and peers toward the shore. When she lowers the scope, she is clearly distressed but trying to hide her worry.
She calls Cedar Cruise over.
"We have a problem," she says, and offers you the spyglass. "Something is wrong. Nobody’s in sight. There’s no smoke from cook fires or the smithy. Some of the buildings look burned out." If you look through the spyglass, you can confirm the observation. She continues, her voice low.
"Sailors can’t keep their mouths shut. Soon all the other colonists are going to hear about this—if they can’t see for themselves already—and things could become... tense. I know you're trying to prove yourself to the company. Why don't you collect a few people to help you, and take the small boat in to see what's going on? We'll steer the ship over to the secondary landing site. You know, the alternate site for the colony? You find out what's going on, then meet us there. It should be about six hours for you on foot."
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Cedar hands the spy glass back to Ramona, and says, "This is terrible. What could have happened? Don't worry, I know just the people to figure this out. We'll see what we can learn and then meet everyone at the alternate site!"
He rushes back to the cabin and tells everyone to pack up. "It's time for adventure!"
"Adventure? Oh boy! I knew it wasn't gonna be all sheep and chores and stuff! Where are we going?" Toby's ears are perked up, and you haven't seen him this excited since he got his plate of dinner.
Purpose Creche turns from packing his belongings in preparation for landfall.
"Adventure? It's time to ferry cargo. Very routine for sea travel."
At Cedar's explanation, Purpose Creche places a hand on the iron band around his waist. "Then we should leave at once. This is extremely important." He hefts his pack, blank face and pyramidal head turning towards the others one by one.
"Yeah, let's go!" Toby is practically bouncing with excitement. Suddenly, he stops. "Hold on! Let me go get my stuff! With that, he spins around and sprints below deck, nearly knocking another colonist overboard in the process. You hear a vague "Sorry!" as he disappears, only to return moments later still stuffing things into a grubby backpack. "Ok! What are we waiting for?"
Silt tosses his backpack into the boat. You see an empty jar tied to his belt and he dives straight into the water, wearing all his hide armor.
Scales flash in the murky water below the launch's rigging; he waits there for the ship's boat.
As everyone returns to the top deck, belongings in hand, Ramona is just reassuring a group of colonists. "Don't worry; I'm sure everything will be fine. Just as a precaution, we're going to a different landing site, while a team checks out what's going on. Oh! And here they are!"
She walks you to the rowboat that you'll take to shore. "Thank you so much for taking on this assignment. You are a somewhat unorthodox team, but you all bring some unique talents. I had the galley pack up enough food and water for you for two days, just in case, and take these in case you need them. Good luck!" She hands you four potions of cure light wounds.
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Toby immediately moves to the front of the boat and leans as far out as he can without falling in, his ears fluttering a bit in the wind.
The rowboat leaves for the shore. A crowd gathers on the top deck, watching you row toward the makeshift dock. The bay's waters are calm, rocking the boat very gently, and you have about three hundred feet to go to make it to shore.
However, Silt suddenly spots two creatures underwater, jetting toward the small boat at high speed! The strange beasts look like a combination of a goblin and an octopus, and just as mean.
Purpose Creche
Sil'tchaak
Toby Hawthorn
octo-goblin red
Cedar Cruise
octo-goblin blue
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As the boat has been moving, Toby has been frequently standing, several times nearly falling out of the boat. When he spots the creatures, he immediately stands up again. "What the heck are those things? Are they friendly? They don't look very friendly." His ears go flat against his head and he leans precariously over the side, he nose nearly touching the water and his hands submerged, one against the boat below the waterline to steady himself.
Now that he's closer to the surface of the water and can see the creatures more clearly, an audible growl begins to build in his throat. "They don't look like any goblins I've seen before, but they're definitely goblins. I hate goblins!" The water around his submerged hands begins to roil and churn, and suddenly those of you in the boat can see what looks like the wake of a torpedo go shooting toward the nearer octoblin. Silt can see more clearly, a streak of water shoots out of Toby's hand at the goblin.
Silt will draw his spear as a move action and stay in he water, ready to attack any enemy who comes within reach. These don't seem to belong here. No potato either.
Purpose Creche sets the oar down and draws the mahogany splinter from within his coat. Progenitor, I reach for you once more.
"There may be more beneath the surface. Be careful." He holds the fragment out in the direction of the approaching goblinoids and waits for one to breach.
Toby puts his hands in the water, and a turbulent jet emerges, but the index of refraction of the water throws off your aim! The stream passes right over the bizarre creature who gives you a nasty grin filled with sharp teeth. Purchase takes out a splinter and watches the sea carefully. One of the creatures swims over to attack Silt, but he is ready and waiting! He easily skewers it.
Purpose Creche
Sil'tchaak
Toby Hawthorn
octo-goblin red
Cedar Cruise
octo-goblin blue
Cedar is up!
Silt burbles in sadness when the dolphin's tail-slam merely grazes the thing's head. As the bubbles rise, Purpose gets a faint whiff of potato.
Something about Cedar's magical display strikes Purpose Creche as odd, but his attentions are split between the rocking of the boat, the goblinoid's sudden appearance, and an unexpected development from Toby.
The strange goblin with tentacles loses its smile quickly when a brilliant pink dolphin suddenly appears, smacking it sharply across the noses.
Two arrows narrowly cross over the groups heads. If you look back to the ship, you see several soldiers standing with bows while Anya shouts at them. "It's too far a shot! You're as likely to hit them as the monster, and we'll lose the arrows to boot! They can handle it."
Purpose Creche
Sil'tchaak
Toby Hawthorn
octo-goblin red
Cedar Cruise
octo-goblin blue
"Yay Silt!" Toby barks. "Kill that weird goblin!"
The water roils and churns again as another blast streams toward the remaining octoblin.
His aim is thrown off by the arrival of the pretty pink dolphin, which clearly requires thorough investigation!
Purpose Creche stands and steadies himself, then steps up next to Toby. "Stranger still for its speech."
He then hops steps over the side of the boat.
His weighted coat quickly pulls him under, but he keeps a firm grip on the vessel's edge. Though Bubbles and turbulence from the conflict obscure his vision, the tentacled thing is close by and easy to spot. He points the weathered splinter at the aquatic goblinoid.
Erode.
For a moment, the fragment glows from within with sickly green light. The brilliance races up the wand's length and erupts towards the creature as a thin beam, sending a bright flash and burst of sizzling sound through the waters.
Move up & stab. Also gonna destrctive smite
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The creature stabs at the wyrwood as he prepares to let loose a blast.
The spear clangs uselessly off his armor. The subsequent ray takes out the bizarre being before she can get another attack in.
As Purpose climbs back into the boat, a huge cheer rises up from the ship! The dolphin leaps merrily around the party all the way to the dock. You can just barely make out the voice of Ramona Avandth: "See? Nothing to worry aboout; they'll take care of any problems..."
As Purpose, Toby, and Cedar tie the boat to the dock, they notice that the sand is pristine: there are no tracks leading to or from the colony.
Underwater, Sil'tchaak spots a capsized canoe on the sea floor, about 10 feet below the surface.
Seawater runs down Purpose Creche's coat onto the dock. He checks the left breast where the goblin's spear split the leather; metal glints from beneath the dark brown material. He probes the spot with a flexible finger and makes a rasping sound.
"I'll have to fix that."
His odd little head turns from the damaged garment and surveys the beach. "No signs of passage. This is the primary landing sight. There should be tracks, channels where boats have been dragged. What has happened?"
Toby dives off the boat and gets as close as he can to the dolphin. He's delighted by the creature, and tries to follow it as best he can while it plays and leaps.
When they arrive at the dock he jumps down to the beach and runs halfway up, before turning to his party and impatiently exclaiming "Hurry up, let's go look around!"
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Anything under the canoe? Silt can flip it if need be with a couple tries, mist likely (18 strength).
Sil'tcaak lifts up the canoe without trouble, but finds that a bizarre little creature has made a makeshift home here. This tiny gremlin has lobster claws for hands and an almost canine face with webbed ears. It claws at the locathah in a panic.
The creature then scurries to the safety of the shadow of the dock, before Silt can react! It starts to make strange bubbling sounds.
Lobster dog?
Toby
Sil'tchaak
Cedar
Purpose
Seeing the creature, Toby bounds forward into the water nose first, ready to investigate. As soon as he ducks his head underwater and gets a good look at it he recoils and reflexively fires. To those on the surface it once again looks like a fast moving, roiling wake, streaking toward the dock and the creature below it. Silt can see more clearly a blast of water fire from Toby's hands. "Aah! What the heck is that thing! It looks weird! Scary and weird!"
Hearing the commotion under the dock, Purpose Creche jumps down into the water, coat rising around him as he sinks. The thing and its incantations draw his attention.
"It's working magic to subdue, not kill. Maybe it knows something about what happened here."
The wyrwood lands in a puff of sediment, splinter at the ready.
Toby shoots a blast of turbulent water that does less damage than he thought. Nevertheless, the creature seems to lose its spell.
He replies to Purpose in Aquan: