Purpose Creche's silver orbs have reappeared, casting the group in an austere light.
"The crysmals aren't a priority. As of now we can't even speak to them. But a potential future resource for the colony."
He puts a hand over Joli's. Am I correctly reading this social situation. "As for Karl. He's self-sufficient when he needs to be. Hmm." He looks to Sil'tchaak. "Will his self-sufficiency turn the crysmals into a meal."
"Things to consider. Let's leave through the tunnel and find our way back. It's important to know our surroundings."
Joli pats Purpose on the shoulder and nods. "Right-o. I guess we can also take care of these creatures! They're just dozing right now, I think." Once the party's done searching for treasure and daking care of the darkmantles, he makes his way back quietly past the crysmals chamber.
"Do you mean....take care of, or 'take care of'? 'Cause, I gotta say I don't like the thought of leavin' them here to attack the next person to come down here."
"I guess we'll have to if they like to eat people..."
Joli sneaks up on the crysmal's cave, but they seem to be on alert this time. He once again notices signs of spell-casting. Peeking in, there is no sign of the crysmals, but the room seems just a little bit smaller than it did before.
Joli gives a silent friendly wave and moves along.
Th exit tunnel leads to a small hill. You can spot Talmandor's Bounty from there, and an easy hike brings you back to town.
Father Eamon Caranth spots you first. He seems a little less than his normal exuberant self. "Hello, there, trouble-shooters! I'm afraid I have to tell you that I met your friend Silas. Even my additional prayers don't seem to have put the poor man's soul at ease. He just suddenly manifested and started throwing the furniture around, wailing about 'Rayland.' That was the leader of the first group, right? Anyway, a little of Erastil's sacred energy dealt with him, but based on that tapping, I think he'll be back. In the meantime, we're going to hold services outside. Can't have him scaring the parishioners! I don't mind too much, holding services in Erastil's bounty, but you can probably imagine that old Father Grouse isn't too pleased."
Eamon is happy to chat for a while longer, but also adds, "Oh, and Alba was looking for you. You know, that dwarven alchemist?"
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Cedar frowns at the news about Silas.
"I'm not a particularly religious man, but I'd hoped you could find a way to put his soul to rest. Maybe there's something he needs us to do, some unfinished business that needs to be taken care of? That'd probably keep me around if I was a ghost." He scratches his bearded chin in thought.
"And do you know where we can find Alba? We'll see what she wants."
Cedar wants to talk to Lyra too, about the crysmals.
"He moans 'Rayland.' Is Rayland still alive? Does his presence keep Silas's spirit from moving on?" Purpose Creche looks towards the sea. "It's not impossible. We know the colonists left the island by boat."
He turns back to Eamon. "In the meantime, Father, I like your solution. Do you think some coins scattered on the grass would help Father Nurpico feel more at ease."
"Maybe she's thought more on how to open the clockwork creation," he offers as the group heads to find Alba.
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Seeing the long-eared priest and hearing his distress, Joli hops up on a nearby boulder and offers his sympathy. "I know naught of Erastil, but Jalaijatali prefers prayers sung in open air, in harmony with the burbling of water and whispering air."
He ponders for a moment. "I've heard tell of elders who can even hear the murmurs of departed spirits. Mayhap Jalaijatali will bless me with such powers someday. Or are you or Father Grouse able already?"
Reflecting further, he whispers, "You don't suppose Rayland killed him?!"
As they exit the cave, Silt wonders about the area that was skipped and the spellcasting he heard therein. Must be a friend… back later, help Karl meet his new neighbor.
Silt fidgets with his hat while the cleric talks. He looks at Joli. Ray-mond fled by boat. Where do boats hide? Also, he's angry that a Liza did something to his power. Where do the Lizas hide?
"Do you mean Una, Silt? Hm. Where could they have gone with... The note said a canoe? Maybe they followed the shoreline?"
"I believe he does have unfinished business, and it does seem to involve Rayland. I hate to speak ill of the man, he's an Eagle Knight after all, but it sure seems like there was some kind of foul play."
He suppresses a chuckle at the mention of coins spread outside, and nods approvingly at Joli's description of worship. "Yes, I think we'll get by all right. But we should try to put the man's soul to rest. I'll look through my books and see if there are any leads about poltergeists, and hopefully you'll find out something conclusive about Rayland and the first wave soon. There could be a lead there. I don't know where a boat might have gone. There are many islands around here, but that sounds like finding a needle in a haystack."
He gives you directions to Alba's cottage.
Una's words spoke about a Liza. They took little boat but Ray-mond took big one. We could find the big ship; Ray will be near.
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"Rayland," Cedar says, laughing. "Eliza." He gives Silt a smile.
"We found the canoe, and it had been sabotaged, so I suspect Una's plans were intercepted. But, if Rayland left on the bigger boat, then it could be that he's still alive. I didn't know him, but if he was an Eagle Knight, then he's probably pretty resourceful and as you said, it seems odd that he would have turned the villagers against each other in some way." He looks out to the sea. "It's all so puzzling."
"So, what...we go island hopping, looking for him? That could be fun!"
"Ah, I misunderstood. If the canoe was not an option, maybe some escaped over land. Either through the interior or along the beach. Let’s see what Alba has to say, but I’d like to search for survivors."
He mentions as an aside to Father Caranth, "We ought secure the top of the well with a cover. We’be dealt with the main threat but there are caverns that could be an avenue for predators."
"Yes, I can get a group together to secure the well! You all look like you could use a rest."
Later, when you visit Alba, "Just the folks I wanted to see! Ramona mentioned that you'd found a spell book, from poor Una Hendrake. I was wondering if I could perhaps see it to copy into my formula book. It won't harm the book at all, and if Una returns, I'd give it back right away. But it will be hard to obtain new formulas out here, and I'd be happy to offer you store credit in exchange. What do you say?"
She continues. "Also, I could really use some help getting supplies to make potions with. The old knees aren't what they once were. If you'd be willing to go out and look for some reagents for me, I'd give you store credit equal to the value of the materials. Lyra has found some promising locations."
"Sure, we can do that! I used to spend hours back home wandering around looking for interesting stuff."
"I agree. What sorts of supplies do you need, Alba?"
Joli recalls his first meeting with the dwarf. Poor thing’s sturdy on land but oh what an alchemist’s brew he left on the poop deck. He smiles to himself and gives Alba a friendly wave.
Karl and I will help… tomorrow. I will ask animals if they have seen a liza or boats with Rays.
Purpose Creche gingerly hands over Una's spellbook. "I hope it's useful. And I'm sure we'll forage useful supplies."
Alba is happy to mark a promising location on a rough sketch of the island.
"Let’s watch for ingredients tomorrow and if we’ve energy searchalong he beaches near there for signs of survivors."
Joli spends the rest of the day getting better acquainted with the townsfolk, starting with Alba. He asks about the capabilities their most proud of, to get a more detailed sense of their skills.
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Toby goes for a long walk away from the town, alone, heading north along the beach until it curls around to the west. His usual playfulness seems missing this afternoon, and even as he emerges from the water after swimming back his expression is thoughtful, maybe even pensive. He trudges into the shared home and absentmindedly shakes the water off his head; it's not until he notices Silt, decorating and now covered in tiny droplets of dog-scented water, that a sheepish smile corsses his face.
"Sorry Silt! Guess I wasn't paying much attention. Whatcha doin'?"
Silt pauses in his task of hanging dried kelp curtains; they undulate in a salty breeze while he meditates on their movement.
Fronds ripple in waves of wind like waves of water. Like home, like shelter in a reef. And now I am wet, thanks to you — even better!
Later, he works on his kelp farm until a heavy riptide snatches his labor away. He treads backwards against the current, watching the salvaged driftwood and long rope plummet into the deep, gone forever.
He walks back home under the red sunset, wondering what to prepare for his evening meal.
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As daylight wains, Joli climbs a high tree and scans the immediate surroundings of the island for a waterfall. Not seeing any in the immediate environment, he wanders down to the beach. He doffs his hat and lowers Iggi into the surf. He talk-sings aloud softly to the octopus and Jalaijatali.
"Such a day
of battle and rage.
I could sleep for an age.
On morrow we go
To find some herbs and
Save the lives that came
Before. We go with care,
So we may stay
Another moon;
An age of days.
He continues to hum for an hour, palming water over his naked scalp as he does so. Retrieving his mollusk friend, he spies Silt on his way back to the settlement. He happily bounds after him, singing in greeting and leap-tagging his friend's head with a gentle pat.
The next morning, he rises early, excited to be about the quest.
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After such an exciting day, Cedar isn’t ready to sit at home. He walks into the village and chats with the other employees of the Bountiful Venture Company. He gives Ramona an update on Choker Hill, complete with nail-biting descriptions of poodle combat. He describes the crysmals to Lyra, and chides Perrell for the face she made when she first saw Karl. Cedar is happy to entertain. And then finally, as the sun begins to set and everyone has said just about all they can of poodles, he seeks out Carver and asks about the Pathfinder Society. The two swap stories until the moon rises and the stars shine overhead, and only then, when he has to struggle to keep his eyes open, does Cedar stumble back home and fall into his hammock by the window.
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Purpose Creche is quiet and observant while he works with making little more than short remarks about not having to do the manual labor of wood shaping to repair himself.
After an hour or two, he heads back to the house. He retrieves his lap harp from inside and carries it (along with the items recovered from the choker's den) with him on his awkward climb onto the roof.
He sits crosslegged beneath the island sun. He unfastens his iron waistband, laying it atop his spread coat alongside his progenitor's splinter. He produces a handful of sandy wood fragments from a coat pocket and arranges them in a fan-like pattern spreading out from the two relics. He places the charred Erastilian spellbook beneath his other implements, then arranges the other items on either side of the ashen tome.
He opens the harp's case and places it across his lap. He plays idly, badly, for hours, basking in the psychic resonance of what he has collected. His thoughts march steadily from one thing to the next, all variations on am I doing the right thing or what am I and what do I mean, here in this place.
The sun sets, the moon rises. The moon sets, the sun rises; for those with the right angle, the wyrwood's silhouette is stark against the celestial orbs.
As the others begin to stir beneath him, his implements thrum with new energy, and his body is once again whole.
He climbs down to greet them.
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Dreams find him. A child with Iggi as its adorable head, who murmurs about places beyond his ken.
They find themselves on a beach under a brilliant blue sky. He sees before him an eellike horror with three tendrils on its tongue. 'Hydraggon,' child-Iggi says. 'A qlippoth.' Its fangs bite into a man-tortoise. 'A chelonidal. Sacred agathion guardians of Nirvana.' The latter thrusts a trident into the eel mouth and the monster goes limp.
One of Iggi's tentacles points behind him. 'Pray you never meet her, the Mother of Oblivion. It is our duty to combat her and Lamashtu. You should feel no hesitation in eradicating her evil.'
Feeling dread, he turns. A monstrous, undulating tangle of barbed tentacles explodes from the water, many of them tipped with infernal eyes. And he wakes.
"Ahhh! Iggi!" He clutches his friend to him and looks around his room. Feeling restless, he climbs out the window with a blanket and up to the roof. He quietly moves to sleep near Purpose, leaving his manufactured friend to go about his business.
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If Purpose Creche notices Joli, deep in his trance as he is, he makes no sign. But when the grippli awakes, his head is resting on a neatly folded corner of Purpose Creche's coat, its dark leather just warm from the morning sun.
Joli already rolled.
Silt masterfully guides the group not only toward the area on the map, but spots the best locations for the botanicals that Alba requested. After about half a day's hike, he finds a bounty.
A small hill rises in the center of a copse of trees, their numbers thinning along the incline. A number of trees adorn the hill like the tines of a crown, and in their shadows grow odd-looking ferns, mushrooms, and bushes resplendent with berries of an unusual color.
Only Toby's sharp eyes spot a particularly unusual plant at the top of the hill. It seems to have...teeth.
Chompy vine, delays
Cedar
Silt
Joli
Toby
Purpose
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A missing sheep....a child searching.....desperate bleating....that tree has teeth!....running scared, crying....
Toby shakes his head and points. "Watch out! That plant up there, I don't know what it is but I think we should give it a wide berth." Toby starts to steer away from the creature, his head hunched down. Suddenly he stops, straightens, and turns back toward the party. "No, wait. It's our job to solve problems, right? That thing," he says, pointing up the hill, "that thing is a problem. Scares me half to death, but we gotta deal with it anyway." With that, he wheels around and moves quickly to get a clear shot, unleashing a blast up the hill at the creature.
"Agreed, Toby."
Purpose Creche draws his splinter and moves to his right. His thoughts process through the ether and into the wand, which glows a moment before unleashing a bright, searing beam up the hill.
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Joli makes his way up to seymour of the plant beast, rapier in hand and tumbling the last few feet. Assuming he sees one, his tongue darts out and snags a raspberry as he goes.
Silt casts a spell on his club, moves straight ahead, then activates his quick runners shirt to move again — a whopping 30 feet.
Toby's blast, powered by childhood memories, deals a mighty blow to the twisting vine. Purpose's ray is aimed well, but the fire seems useless against the well-watered plant. Hank arrives, clawing and biting at the creature.
It twists and turns and suddenly, the plants all around it come alive, grasping at ankles.
It then lashes out at the creature flying above the writhing plants.
And everyone is up!
Silt makes it through unimpeded to 5' step up to the plant and swing at it, holding his club in both hands.
Joli looks to Cedar for another friend with whom to flank the odd tree . Assuming he gets one, he when gives attempts to treat the leafy abscess with water and suction.