"We need fresh water."
Corin looks around for any waterskins or water barrels.
If anyone had waterskins on their equipment list, they will be in the equipment pile, although probably unfilled, as there would have been no reason to keep them filled on the ship. In the other equipment pile, Corin finds a single waterskin that, on inspection, turns out to be about a third filled with rum.
Corin considers pouring the vile substance onto the beach, but thinks better of it. He retrieves the rest of his gear from the pile before heading back over to help the other people.
"Does anybody know what happened, where we are, or what happened to the Jenivere?"
If you have specific questions, then Knowledge(Geography), Perception and Survival checks might help.
Karia give Corin a cheerful smile."Well, given how the crew were worried about running too close to the reefs about Smugglers Shiv; I think we can give that good odds."
After getting her gear she strolls down to the water, avoiding the corpses of the creatures and scans the ocean. Looking for any signs of how they got here?.
With her head not pounding as much, Pamela retrieves her equipment and goes to check on Gelik.
To Corin's question, she replies, "All I know is I woke up to savage scorpion things attacking me. Before that, I was...eating or something. It gets all fuzzy after that. Are you okay, Gelik?"
Sizara eventually calms down.
"By the animal spirits! I feel better, especially after that battle."
Retrieving her gear, the athletically muscular elf checks on the others who are still dazed, starting with Sasha.
Listening to the others, the elven barbarian nods in agreement, replying, "Indeed. The last thing I remember was of all of us, including some of the crew, sitting down and eating some stew. Then, everything started getting blurry and then I...well I blacked out as soon as my head hit the table. But yes, given the crew's fear of this island, it is certain we are stranded here. However, I'm puzzled on how we all got here safely. I do not see any of the crew members. Maybe some of them saved us but they died trying to save others."
Realizing that she might be painting a grim picture for them all, Sizara added, "Sorry about pointing out the grimness of our situation. I tend to think out loud sometimes. But we should be thankful that we were. The animal spirits and the blessings of Shelyn, Shimye-Magalla, and Ketephys were with us. Hopefully they will continue to watch other us all."
"Now that you mention it, none of the crew are here," Pamela mused. "I think we might have dumped, like dead weight. Even our equipment was all in a neat pile. This wasn't a shipwreck."
The Jenivere
A few moments of peering out to sea, eyes shaded from the hot sun, proves Pamela wrong. The sad remains of the Jenivere sit a few hundred yards off shore, atop a reef whose jagged rocks poke out of the pounding surf. The ship appears to have broken in two, with the bow half submerged. The broken and splintered remains of the stern seem to cling precariously to the rocks - it is obvious that it won't be long before it too is claimed by the sea. Curiously, one of the ship's boats floats next to the wreck, tied to the shattered bow.
How you got here
Examining the shoreline, Corin notices two heavy furrows in the sand, and then a number of drag marks. Someone has beached a boat here, and then dragged the bodies onto the shore. The same pattern is repeated around the other group. Around the equipment pile are a number of distinctive bootprints, from one individual, none of which match any of the footwear of those currently on the beach.
Where are you
You are in a long, narrow cove with the sandy beach at the southern end. On three sides, low cliffs rise about 20' overhead, leading to dense canopy of green jungle. Colourful birds flit in and out of the trees, there is a hum of insects, and the breeze constantly rustles the leaves. Nearby, a small stream trickles over the cliff, cascading down the face before losing itself in the beach sand. To the north, the sharp reef that destroyed the Jenivere forms the northern boundary of the cove, with what looks like open sea beyond. The reef is covered with white breakers, but absorbs the water's fury, leaving a calm lagoon to fill most of the cove.
The other group
The other group are slowly coming round. Looking at their shrunken pupils, and taking into account the other symptoms, Sizara belatedly diagnoses poisoning with Oil of Taggit. This usually only causes a few hours' unconsciousness - whoever did this used an unnecessarily large dose, and didn't care about the consequences.
Gelik looks up with unsteady eyes at Pamela's query. Partly raises himself on his elbows before groaning, vomiting copiously at the woman's feet, and falling back, clutching his head.
Ishiru is still unconscious - he has a large, ragged wound in his side and seems to have lost a lot of blood.
Jask is awake, and looks dismayed to be still manacled, but is otherwise unhurt.
Sasha has a large splinter of wood poking through her foot. She grimaces, and pulls it out, suppressing a cry of pain. It is clear that she will not be able to walk for a while. Her clothing has come loose and torn slightly, and you can see that she has an unusual tattoo - two insectile legs formed into an N shape - between her shoulder blades.
Aerys is unhurt. Her first act on waking is to crawl over to the waterskin of rum that Corin discarded and take a swig.
General
It appears to be mid-morning, approximately 15 hours since you sat down to dinner on the Jenivere. The sun is rising high in the sky and the hottest part of the day is approaching.
Corin shades his eyes as he peers out at the wreck of the Jenivere. "We should get out there, retrieve the ship's boat and salvage what supplies we can before the Jenivere goes under. Corliss, you know ships and boats, can you come with me? Anybody else who can swim would be welcome."
Corin doesn't wait for a reply. Hesitation will loose valuable time.
Sizara notices upon examining Sasha and the others that they are suffering from the effects of taggit oil.
"Seems someone used oil of taggit on them and I'm certain we were under its effects as well. What is peculiar is that usually it leaves one unconscious for a few hours. In our case, someone used extremely large dosage of taggit oil. They surely didn't care about the consequences."
Upon seeing Sasha yanked the splinter from her foot, Sizara offers to mend her wound. As she makes her offer, the elf notices Sasha's tattoo.
"It must be a tattoo of her spirit animal. Must be some sort of insect spirit. I'll ask her later what it is, but first we should find shelter and salvage what we can from the ship like Corin suggested."
Deciding it would be best to not pry into learning more about Sasha's insect spirit tattoo, Sizara says, "You'll probably won't be able to walk on that foot for a while. If you like I can carry you to somewhere safe."
She nods at Corin, telling him that she can swim.
The ex-pirate surveys the beach, the wounded, and the castaways' general situation.
"If you all gather 'round, I can channel positive energy an' heal some o' the bumps, bruises, an' other wound's we've suffered. I can also conjure water at will, so we've that in our favor at least."
"Lady Besmara, wash away the blood an' pain o' your servant an' his mates."
After the first round of healing, he takes a look at the unconscious man and asks if anyone else needs more fixing up.
When Corin makes his request, Corliss grins at him sheepishly. "I'd love to help, matey, only...I don't think I can swim. That be the whole point o' boats after all--they keep you from havin' to go in the water."
Corin waves for Sizara to follow him into the water.
Corliss gathers his gear from the equipment pile, all the while looking for anything that might make for a decent flotation device. His empty waterskin doesn't suffice.
He also asks the other five survivors if any of them is a capable swimmer. That he happens to be standing next to Aerys when he makes his query might or might not be a coincidence. Then again, he's living proof that not all seafarers learn the fine art of swimming....
Pamela sighs as she realizes her imagination got ahead of her again. Time to actually be productive for once, Pamela chides herself.
"I can't swim too well, so I'll keep an eye on the cliffs. If anything comes, I'll use my signal whistle to let you know," Pamela says, pulling out her whistle.
Trying to think of something else she can do, she starts looking for fallen and dry wood from the jungle for a possible campfire.
Getting to the Jenivere
It is certainly possible to swim to the Jenivere. The calm lagoon waters will be a DC0 swim check, as long as you only take a single weapon and not much gear. There are many pieces of broken planking from the ship scattered about the beach, and using these as a float will add a +2 circumstance bonus to your check. However, it is quite a long swim, and will require a DC12 CON check to avoid becoming fatigued. Actually swimming near the reef, and boarding the ship, will be more difficult.
Alternatively, it would be possible to make your way over the rocks at the side of the cove, and then clamber out onto the reef itself. Footing may be treacherous on the reef, but it's a possibility.
Sizara says, "You'll probably won't be able to walk on that foot for a while. If you like I can carry you to somewhere safe."
"Safe?" Sasha laughs bitterly. "We're stranded on Smuggler's Shiv. If half the tales about this place are true, then we're already dead. We just have to wait for something to come and eat us. And even if we do survive, how are we to get off this place? Ships go miles out of their way to avoid it. We'll never get anyone's attention."
She wipes her hand across her face, and touches her foot gingerly. "I think our shipmate's magic there did some good. I think I can walk. Hobble maybe. At least get somewhere where there is shade from this damned sun."
As Corin stops at the water's edge to evaluate his options, he replies to Sasha, though he does not turn to face her.
"The gods are testing us. It is up to us to meet their challenge and ascend one step closer to purity."
If anybody had a veiw of Corin's face, they would see the ghost of a smile there.
Jesk forlornly holds up his manacles. "Jesk be goin' nowhere wit' dese, mon. Him be sinkin' like a pearl diver, only he not be comin' up again."
Aerys nods. "Can't swim. Don't like the water. We're lost, whatever we do."
The gnome simply shakes his head, and then vomits again.
"Excellent. And it is a challenge we will accept. We even have a bard to record the epic," Pamela replies, getting worked up at the thought of a challenge.
Seeing that not much help was forthcoming from the five other castaways, Corliss looks to Corin and Sizara bravely jumping into the surf without hesitation. Strapping his trusty rapier to his left hip (It is trusty, isn't it?), Corliss picks up the biggest piece of wooden planking he can find and tosses it into the ocean.
Turning back to the others, he flashes a crooked grin and asks, "As fine a day to die as any, wouldn't you say?"
Then he climbs atop the boards as best he can and starts paddling and kicking out to sea, in the general direction of the shipwreck.
Once he's out of earshot of those on shore, he mutters, "Sweet Bessie preserve thine humble servant! Didn't think I knew how to swim an' now I know it to be fact! Live an' learn...I hope."
Nonetheless, Corliss keeps paddling and kicking.
Karia isn't impressed by the attitude of some of the other passengers.
Taking her dagger, and using a washed up board much like a surfboard she joins those swimming to the Jenivere.
Before she does so however she warns the others. Lets be careful! Whoever put us here returned to the ship, but hasn't come back. Might be something unpleasant waiting for us there.
Karia will make for the ships boat first, rather than the Jenivere.
Making your way over the rocks would take about an hour. Swimming will take about half that, while a strong swimmer could race out there in a few minutes, although this would require a DC10 swim check and a DC18 CON check to avoid fatigue.
Looking at the Jenivere you notice that the waves are pounding slightly less savagely over the reef. The tide is going out, and the wreck will not be in serious danger until the next high tide.
All of which is irrelevant as everyone seems to be swimming anyway...
Swimming to the Jenivere
With the assistance of wooden floats, mutual assistance and the luck that the gods give to fools, the group makes it out over the lagoon and approaches the reef. The water in the lagoon is relatively calm and crystal clear. The sandy bottom is visible, and a few brightly coloured schools of fish are scattered by the goup's ungainly splashing. Crawling on the bottom you see a number of creatures similar to those you fought on the beach, although the largest of these is only a few inches long.
As you approach the wreck, the extent of the damage becomes clearer. Most of the bow and the lower decks are gone. Only fractions of the stern and upper deck remain - from what you can see, the passenger quarters, the galley, the larder, the ship's stores and the captains cabin look to be relatively intact. One of the ship's boats swings wildly at the end of a tether that has been tied to a length of broken planking. It is in danger of being smashed against the reef, or capsized by the waves.
Closer still to the wreck, the water becomes more turbulent. Also, there is a strange banging noise coming from the wreck, like someone hammering on wood incessantly.
Seeing the choppy surf near the wreck, Corliss splashes closer to Kalia.
"One moment, lady! This may be treacherous. Allow me to grant you a small blessing from Besmara 'ere we attempt this madness." Reaching out to touch the swimmer somewhere not inappropriate, Corliss says, "Besmara's grace wash over you."
A moment later he casts the same spell (guidance) on himself and attempt to board the Jenivere.
"Ah, not as bad as I'd feared! Oops! Argh--not the reef! Oof!"
Karia smiles gratefully at Corliss, which quickly becomes a look of dismay as he falls painfully onto the reef.
She swims to the boat
Climbing into the boat gracefully.
Once in the boat she uses either an oar, if there isn't one then her board to reach out and aid Corliss. Getting him onto the boat and checking him for injury.
"Are you alright? I have some healing magic if you need it"
Karia is also pushing the boat away from the reef with her oar/board.
We need this boat!
Sizara quickly swam to fhe wreckage, alalthough she had not taken into account the strong waves slamming against her as she struggled to swim. The fact that the waves were an annoyance caused a bit of raging adrenaline in her.
She eventually made it to the shipwreck, despite being fatigued and was able to climb up the side of the Jenivere, although as soon as she hit the deck, she nearly fell over from exhaustion.
"By the spirit of the cheetah! I must be out of shape," she said exhausted.
Corin managed the swim without overexerting himself, and clambers on board the ship.
He reaches out and attempts to help Corliss climb aboard.
Corliss has taken 4hp of damage total from being dashed against the reef. He might be better off attempting a single DC10 STR check to cling onto the reef, and make his way onto the wreck of the Jenivere that way.
Corliss desperately tries to cling to the rough reef. All he gets for his effort is some more pounding from the surf and lacerations on his hands from sharp coral.
Where is the -2 in your checks coming from? Fatigue gives a -2 penalty to STR, not a -2 penalty to ability checks based on STR. So Corliss's STR has dropped to 10 (normally 12), meaning he should be making Swim checks at +2 (the circumstnce bonus) and Climb checks at +0.
None of which helps much, I admit, but I thought I'd point it out. Take another 1d3 damage.
So now you have 3 choices
1) Try to hold onto the reef - DC10 STR check
2) Try to climb onto the wreck - DC10 Swim and DC10 Climb, but Corin is helping.
3) Try to climb onto the boat - presumably Karia could pull you in with an oar, so we'll make it a DC5 swim check and a DC5 climb check. But then you're stuck in the boat.
Corliss throws caution to the wind and again tries to swim to the Jenivere and climb out of the rough water.
Right, before I prepare an amusing entry for the "Smuggler's Shiv Casualties" thread, Corin and Sizara are both aboard the wreck - if they can both make Aid Another checks, that will be just enough to save you from Besmara's wrath.
Corin tries to get ahold of Corliss and pull him up. "Stop thrashing around! You're only going to drown if you keep it up!"
While exhausted the elf isn't too tired to help a comrade. Along with Corin she reaches out to help the priest of Besmara.
"Thank you both--your aid was most timely. Please excuse me a moment while I heal up a bit."
As the wounds he took getting dashed several times against the reef heal up, Corliss flashes a weary, sheepish grin. "Now I know how a game fish feels when, after battlin' hook an' line to the last o' its strength, its carcass is hauled into the boat."
Pamela, watching from the shore, let's out a tense breath as Corliss makes it on board. They were in enough trouble as is, without losing another person, especially a cleric.
Looking down at the treacherous reef, Pamela mutters, "I will learn to control you one day, waves. Until then, whatever gods there are, keep your hand over them until they get back."
With the others safely onboard, Pamela turns her attention back to the cliffs.
Sizara laughed at the wittiness of Corliss's words.
"That was quite a clever analogy Corliss. You must be blessed with the humor of a lemur or monkey with such a wit like that,"
Catching her breath, she then asked if both Corliss and Corin heard the strange sounds as well.
"I would who or what else is on board," she said wondering.
Karia Moves the boat to the side of the Jenivere, getting it away from the reef. She secures it under the ship and climbs up to join the others.
Giving a call to the others before she starts climbing. "Coming up!"
On The Beach
Aerys and Sasha seem disinclined to do anything except sulk, and Ishirou is still unconscious. Jask, seemingly for want of something better to do, begins to collect broken pieces of wood from the shoreline and assemble them in a pile on the sand. As Pamela makes an inspection of the surrounding area, Gelik, seemingly somewhat recovered from his nausea, joins her.
"Well, at least it will be an experience." he grumbles "There's fresh water," he adds, pointing to the stream cascading over the cliffs, "and I wonder if we could eat that - it looks a bit like a lobster." he gestures to the dead creature at the waterline. The two that Sizara had beaten senseless had long since recovered and scuttled back into the water.
"I'll collect some dry driftwood, get a fire going. It'll dry out my clothes, at least, and maybe the smoke will keep some of these damn bugs away - I'm being eaten alive!"
Looking around at the cliffs, Pamela sees that there are no obvious paths to the top, but there are several places where the slope is less than vertical, and there are many thick roots and vines growing down from the jungle above. It will not be difficult for someone to climb their way up.
On the Wreck
With the four individuals finally assembled on the remains of the upper deck of the Jenivere, and Corliss having healed himself of some of the nasty scrapes he had received from being dashed against the reef, the group was finally able to take stock.
The upper deck of the ship had been almost entirely destroyed in the wreck, with only a tangled mass of rigging and a few shreds of canvas remaining. The broad steps leading down to what was left of the middle deck remained, although the angle of the sloped deck, and the constant shuddering of the wreck as the waves pound it make footing treacherous.
The strange hammering noise continues, and seems to be coming from something just out of sight at the bottom of the steps.
Karia suggests. "I can sneak over and see what it is making that noise? While you stand ready in case it's hostile."
She grins wryly. "Odds it's not?"
Corin nods, "I am also trained in the art of stealth, would you like some company?"