Lily, wracked with guilt of killing a good man with a accidentally good shot, is angered by the woman's escape. Her expression darkens a little as she works, and it's hard to shake the feeling of a bad storm coming around her....
Lily stands out back of her little farmhouse, the soft lantern light barely illuminating her back as she looks up at the stars. Next to her sits flower, her little bunny flower petal ears twitching at she stares along with.
Are you sure you can't tell me anything flower?
The bunny twitches its nose.
I really don't care about "Spoilers". Whatever those are. I just... I need to know what I'm dealing with here. People turning into fish... rapist fish people... you... No! You are not on the same level! it's weird is all, just weird! And I don't know how I can deal with it all!
She leans her head forward as she crosses her arms on her knees and puts her chin on her arms.
I just... I mean, I killed a guy... once. But he was a bandit you know? Bandits are different...
She sighs.
Me and Goldhawk where traveling... and these guys came out of the forest... and they said they where going to kill us... and... worse. "Two pretty ladies should know better than to travel alone."
Her frown shifts to a grin at the memory.
I believe Goldhawk made one of them call her "My empress" or something before she let him go.
Her grin shifts back to a frown.
One of the guys I caught with a spike... lucky shot, like the other day. Just... he just bleeds out before we could get to him. I would have saved him if I had known, but we were busy handling his friends. I dunno, somehow it was different than with the fish guy.
Her voice trembles a bit as she speaks.
Flower, I just... I was supposed to save him. And instead, I killed him. I should have learned how to use my powers without killing long ago... but it had always been monsters you know? it never came up! And now... he's dead. And it's my fault.
She just keeps staring out over the field, the rabbit sitting next to her, contemplating the stars as well.
"There you are, Lily! What are you doing out he..?"
"Oh. Hi, BUNNY."
Gervase flops down beside her bestie, chatter overflowing. “I finally finished the second bow. Took me 44 days. Yes, 44 exactly! I was counting.”
“But when I tried to trade them, I was offered just 75gp in trade goods. 75 gold sails! Can you believe it? I’d make FAR more as a fulltime Advanth Angel!”
Gervase puts a melodramatic hand to her forehead. “I’ve given up my dream of becoming Bow Queen of Talmandor’s Bounty. In fact, I’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with Gilstrom that I won’t start up a rival fletching business until he has trained his assassin vines to harvest bow wood from their own bodies.”
Suddenly aware of Lily’s silence, Gervase pauses to put an arm around her. “Are you still upset about that business at the Ioun Tower? Tell me.”
The ranger sits in the dark for as long as it takes. Just listening. Not judging. She adds the occasional “Uh, huh” or “I see” from time to time, but otherwise lets Lily go.
When Lily’s finished, Gervase remains quiet for a moment or two before saying. “Well, I just want to say thank-you for doing what you did, Lily. If we had been a hair-breadth’s less fortunate, a couple of us may have found ourselves strapped to a table in that horrid place.”
The tall woman rises and offers Lily a hand. “Now come to bed. I need your help in the morning. I want to bake a cake for Fathers Eamon and Kurvis.”
“You’ve heard of themed Birthday Cakes, right? Well Gilstrom says I should do a themed ‘Get Well Soon’ cake, topped with a winged Assassin Vine presenting the perfect longbow to Erastil Himself, or a copse of Assassin Vine archers defending the Golden Vault on Axis …”
Along with with the supply ship, a trader has arrived with two ships filled with various trade goods, hoping to trade with you. Any purchases you might normally try to make in a small town might be made here.
“OK, OK. A lot of the stuff we have to trade is fairly mundane, but you won’t find: A Homemaker’s Guide to Ioun Stones in any edition, let alone a first anywhere on the planet.”
“Along with two hundred ancient Azlanti coins, the Mordant Spire tablet and the original coffer of extinct wood it came in, I want full price. You know you will clean up with these items at a Pathfinder or Aspis lodge in Magnimar -- your next port of call!”
“I’m after a belt of mighty con, three cloaks of resistance and a wand of CLW ... Have you even seen a Pathfinder quartermaster's store? Those are so, so common compared with what I’m offering.”
“And if you don’t have a CLW wand I can always source multiple scrolls of the spell locally from the Church of Abadar. And I make my own wooden scroll cases, you know.”
“In fact … maybe I’ll do just that, unless you make it worth my while. Shopping local keeps our economy strong according to Father Kurvis.”
Lily smiles at Goldhawk as she barters with the visiting traders.
Remember, a little bit of honey to sweeten the pot...
As she offers some of her famous honey cakes.
Now sweetheart, I'm just a farmgirl, I don't know much about all these fancy items... but Goldhawk says they'll keep me safe...
She bites into one of her honey cakes and leans in, showing off exactly how... um... high her constitution score is. Very sturdy woman that Lily.
Won't you be a dear and help keep a poor thing like me from being taken by terrors in the jungle? I'd be ever so grateful...
“I’ve heard of Scarzni thugs putting horse’s heads in people’s beds but this is ridicugnome.”
Gervase returns from an early morning swim to find Daib of Daib+Geoff ‘The Throttler Boys’ Fame upset on the doorstep of the Levin Farmhouse, holding a large pail.
“OK, I believe you. Eliza Hanver’s hatched a sea monster down the well as a warning to the town …”
“Yes I’m sure it gave you quite the surprise, Daib – but if you wake Lily up at this hour you’re gonna get more than just a shock. Now let me grab my gear and let’s go take a look.”
This is like déjà vu – all over again!
With Lily’s everyburning torch shoved in her belt, Gervase hauls herself down the bucket rope, just like she did a few months ago when the Troubleshooters first discovered the Crysmal caverns. This time she winds herself beneath the cave mouth, until she’s just above the waterline.
Tying off the line like she’d done countless times in the navy, Gervase removes the torch and scans the surface of the water, just as a dorsal fin breaks the surface sluggishly.
Her first reaction is Gilstrom is playing some grand practical joke – with Daib and Persephone as willing co-conspirators.
Nah. Persephone is way too sensible to get involved with one of Gilstrom’s mad schemes … Unless the ‘sea monster’ is Gilstrom himself with a shark-fin strapped to his back?
A tentative prod with the blunt end of her trident confirms this is no amphibious prankster – indeed, to the ranger’s trained eye Daib has been spooked by an adolescent male Great Hammerhead Shark.
How did he get in here? And why isn’t he thrashing the water like an apex predator who’s just had dinner home-delivered?
Trusting her instincts, Gervase eases into the water to give the lethargic leviathan a closer examination.
Perhaps ten minutes later, she calls back up the shaft to an anxious Daib.
“It’s a young adult shark! Very sick by the looks of him. Erastil knows how he got down here, but we’re going to get him out.”
“Go fetch Arcilde, the Governor or somebody else sensible and ask them to hook up a harness at the well collar to winch down to me. Oh and see if Gilstrom will lend us that aquarium-on-wheels he designed so Persephone could buy her own squid-snacks from Anya’s fish stand.”
By the time the hammerhead has been winched to the surface, a number of townsfolk have turned up with buckets of seawater to help douse the patient and his healer.
Once the shark is in the shallows of the bay, half the town is present to share in the environmental triumph! Sadly, despite the application of numerous CLW spells from Arcilde, Father Eamon and Gervase herself, it’s clear to everyone the Great Hammerhead isn’t going to survive the ordeal.
With its mighty jaws working up and down as if to say, Thanks, anyway … the shark rolls over for the final time – and pops a miniature version of itself out of its hindquarters!
But I could have sworn it was a male! Perhaps I shouldn’t rely on Lily so much for nature knowledge?
As the frisky foot-long fish weaves it ways between Gervase’s legs in a continuous figure-8, the Bellis Belle appears as if summoned, calling out to her girlfriend from the safety of the beach.
“Congratulations, Goldhawk! You’re officially a mom!”
Yeah, way to go with the good cop/bad cop routine, Freefield you tart!
“If we’ve finished with the business formalities, I do have a number of other items that are not for sale at this time, which might pique the interest of an esoteric collector in Avistan or Garund.”
Gervase smiles at the trader. “I’d be interested in your appraisal of the value of these pieces and the type of specialist that could repair or restore them and what they might charge.”
• Clockwork insect
• Several unidentified gems/ioun stones from Eliza’s Ioun Tower
• Broken telescope we looted after defeating the Celadons, before we reached the Ioun Tower
“I suspect there are plenty more artefacts like these waiting to be discovered on the islands. So if nothing else, I hope this encourages to you return soon so both parties can profit handsomely from the trade.”
“Typical adventuring items: belts, headbands, amulets, rings of protection, cracked dusty rose ioun stones, snapleaves, boots of the cat will likely be in demand.”
“We’ve also been hit with a number of mental attacks, so anything to help guard against those will also prove profitable, as will items that aid swimming.”
⚓ ⚓ ⚓
On the way to her latest Azlanti lesson with Lyra Heatherly, to be held at Alba Divenaar’s place after drinkies (where the student will also place her 1050gp order with the dwarf), Gervase drops in on Carver Hastings.
“I forgot about a flask with the initials E.M. carved into it, that we liberated from the Grindylow Caves way back when. Any chance you could appraise it for us please, Carver?”
“Also just let Gilstrom or I know if you or Perrell want to take a look at the Celadon’s garden or the dais of Trident-face, god of the monkey-goblins”
“Arcilde and Lily might be too busy to come, but I'll ask them.”
Six peaceful weeks have passed since the adventure in the Azlanti Tower. The Bountiful Venture Company has sent the first trading ship, which brought needed supplies to the colony as well as a variety of items they thought you might have interest in. As they had hoped, you have uncovered a number of fascinating items and valuable artifacts which you have traded. You have even ordered additional items for the next trip back.
Each of you has settled into your routines. Arcilde has worked hard at the forge, helping to turn out items needed by the colony during the day, and spending her evenings making improvements to your gear, including adding enchantments, a skill she had not previously realized she had. Lily has spent time in the various gardens and fields, helping to keep them clear of invasive species and growing well. Gervase rescued a shark from beneath the colony, and though it did not survive, it's offpring did, and has bonded closely with her. Persephone is unhappy at having something she has always considered a mortal enemy spending time with her family, but Gilstrom's frequent trips around the bay to watch for danger keep her busy and happy.
As summer gives way to fall, Gilstrom and Gervase are ecstatic to discover that Jestercap is a popular holiday, and pranks and jests abound. True to the holiday's tradition, most of the jokes are in fun, but a few go too far, and you notice a few of your neighbors are less than pleased with a few others. Nothing gets truly out of hand, thankfully, but you keep an eye out for grudges nonetheless.
Temperatures begin to fall a bit as the month of Neth begins. The final fall harvests are in progress, and everyone is pitching in to prepare for your first winter. This area was chosen for its mild climate, but everyone prepares nonetheless for possible extremes.
As this is going on, you are called one day to Ramona Avanth's office in the town center. When you arrive, you find that Carver Hastings is there as well. Ramona tells you that Carver has come to her with a bit of a confession.
"It seems our Carver is an undercover Pathfinder. I don't know what you know about the Pathfinder Society, but they purport to be a society of archeaologists and researchers, studying the history of various cultures. Some consider them to be graverobbers and looters, but I have had some experience with them, and for the most part they are genuinely interested in research and only secondarily with profit. Despite his not having mentioned his affiliation until now, I am inclined to trust his motives. He has come to me asking for help in his mission."
She nods to Carver, who stands to address you. “I’m sorry to have deceived you, but the state of affairs within the Pathfinder Society isn’t conducive to an open operation in Azlant, of all places. When I first heard that a ship was bound for these islands, I knew that the Society needed a presence on here. But that brings me to why I wanted to talk to you. I am not the first Pathfinder to set foot on Ancorato. That, my friends, would be the legendary explorer Durvin Gest.”
"I believe that the legendary Pathfinder Durvin Gest explored Ancorato during his exploration of the shattered continent, an expedition detailed in the first-ever Pathfinder Chronicles published in 4317 AR. Durvin Gest is perhaps the most famous Pathfinder, and he documented his journeys in some of the earliest Pathfinder Chronicles before vanishing sometime around 4360. I have spent much of my career studying Gest's first Chronicle. I have deduced that Ancorato was one of the many islands he documented. Additionally, my colleagues in the Pathfinder Society have discovered that some of the artifacts brought to Avistan from Ancorato contained hidden information— precious knowledge encoded inside seemingly ordinary ioun stones. This fragmentary information, dating back to the empire of Azlant itself, suggests a vast conspiracy bubbling beneath the fabric of Azlanti society, the secret of which may still be hidden somewhere on Ancorato."
"I have asked Mayor Avanth for your assistance in following in Durvin Gest’s footsteps, revisiting locations noted in the first volume of the Pathfinder Chronicles. Up until now, those Pathfinders who have ventured to the ruins of Azlant have either never returned from the journey or didn’t find anything relevant. I know of a handful of locations referenced in the first Chronicle, though not precisely where on the island they may be."
He goes to Ramona's map of the island, which has been annotated with your own discoveries since arriving. "First, there is an abandoned Ulfen Settlement named “Joskadalr”. This lost Ulfen camp allegedly exists on the east coast of Ancorato, hidden from view of the ocean by its placement in a rocky cove. Durvin’s account of the settlement claims it has an “unsettling presence” and that he did preliminary investigations but did not stay long. I believe this site may not be far from Talmandor’s Bounty." He indicates an 8-mile stretch of coast to the east.
"Next, I believe that somewhere on the far northeastern side of Ancorato in the foothills lies a cave hidden behind a waterfall. Gest’s account of this cave speaks of unusual etchings and murals that may have been an archaeological excavation by the Azlanti themselves, potentially of an even older civilization dating back to the beginning of the Age of Legend or perhaps further."
He points to an area west of Ancorato's north side. "In volume 1 of the Pathfinder Chronicles, Gest describes seeing a massive azurite monolith etched with strange runes rising up from a forest-covered island off Ancorato’s northwest coast. An approaching storm prevented him from exploring the island, but I am hoping you can find and explore it."
He steps away from the map and continues. "I haven't narrowed down a location yet, but somewhere lies a 'Sunken Laboratory'. This is where Durvin Gest claims to have discovered ancient Azlanti technology that led to the creation of wayfinders. Durvin’s journals claim that he was never able to fully explore the ruin due to a puzzling series of locking mechanisms and the presence of dangerous undead. This site could hold invaluable information to the Society regarding the nature of ioun stones and how they were used in ancient Azlant."
"Finally, somewhere in the mountains, Durvin Gest became lost during his expedition and stumbled upon an ancient tower that contained a trove of Azlanti writing, star charts etched into the walls, and a still-functional orrery used to chart the movement of the planets. Gest was driven from the observatory by packs of creatures whose description resembles the rubbery humanoids you encountered when we first arrived. I hope you can find out if it still exists and what may lie inside."
Carver finally sits down, and looks back to Ramona. "Given the dangers you have already encountered on the island, I have recommended that Carver not try to investigate them on his own. Besides that, he has duties here that he agreed to when he signed on to the colony, and I intend to hold him to them. However, this is exactly the sort of thing that the Bountiful Venture company had in mind in selecting this location. If you can find any remnants of Azlanti culture, science, or magic here, it could provide us with capital and leverage to get more support from them, as well as simply making our colony a part of history. Take his notes, and explore as you see fit. He will be available to answer your question and provide you with whatever information the Pathfinder Society has available."
---------------------------------
Persephone is unhappy at having something she has always considered a mortal enemy spending time with her family.
“Aww, don’t be like that, Persephone. Just how cute is that lopsided grin?”
“So YOU’RE the hidden Pathfinder, Carver! I never suspected you.”
The ranger smiles. “When I was a midshipman, the Andoran navy sponsored a group of Ekujae guerrillas who were being harassed by a perverse group called the Crass-pics Conglomerate.”
“Are they anything to do with you?”
Gervase uses the apparent naiveté of the question as cover to change tack. “Is Carver coming with us, Ms Mayor? And who owns what we find?”
“I mean, the four of us took significant personal risks in the Ioun Tower, but received fair compensation in return.”
The dive ranger thinks hard about the options for exploration presented, before finally shrugging. “The lost civilization beyond the waterfall sounds interesting, but I don’t really mind which order we tackle them in.”
“Do you think we’d be able to take Persephone and Sledge to that location, Carver?”
Lily walks around Carver a few times and pokes him in the chest before sighing.
Less impressive than I expected the way Gervase talks you folks up, and the stories i've heard about you lot. I expected more scars.
She shrugs.
But, hey, a lead on good finds is a gift horse I'm not about to look in the mouth of.
Lily smiles as Gervase makes a suggestion.
You're just worried about leaving sledge alone for to long. I swear, i've seen spinsters worry less about their cats. You turning into a crazy shark lady on me Gervase?
Less impressive than I expected the way Gervase talks you folks up …
“It is true what they say about Pathfinder tolerance, right Carver?”
“I was telling Lily it’s possible for a Pathfinder Death Squad to contain a righteous paladin-monk of Irori, whose sidekick is an atheist goon from Rahadoum.”
You turning into a crazy shark lady on me Gervase?
“Says someone who dressed up in bunny ears and a cotton-tail for Jestercap. No wait! That was two weeks AFTER Jestercap!”
Gervase holds up “picture-frame fingers” in front of Lily. “Watch out for those Crass Pics guys, Lily.”
Gilstrom has spent the intervening six weeks annoying about everyone in camp while taking Persephone out on rangings as he tries to discover as much as he can about the surrounding area and hope that something interesting is happening.
While the rest of the group ask attentive, interested questions he just stares with wide-eyed wonder.
"WOW! Durvin Gest and an ancient conspiracy theory?! Can we go to all of them at once? Persephone will be so excited!"
He looks to the others. "The waterfall sounds fun! I'm not too picky. Maybe Persephone and Sledge can try to get along a little better since the last play-date didn't go too well."
“Yeah, who would have thought Persephone would get so upset about a little love-bite on the right fluke? I mean he was only playing.”
*Innocent look skyward* “He didn’t draw that much blood to warrant what she did in return.”
“Speaking of fins.”
Attempting to change the subject rapidly ... “What is your philosophy RE: saddle fore or aft of the dorsal fin, Gilstrom?”
“And have you thought about trying a belly-saddle so you wouldn’t have to worry about it? It would have the added advantage of allowing you to travel everywhere upside-down.”
Arcilde shakes the Pathfinder's hand. Aye, some o' your comrades freed me from my clan some time back. Tho I imagine that 'ad as much to do wit' th' Andoran liv'ry and bellflower tattoos.
She listens to the descriptions of the different places and shrugs. I 'ave no reason t' choose one over th' other, and I'm not sure 'ow much 'elp I can be at any of them.
Not quite sure what to make of them, Carver ignores most of the questions and side comments about "Pathfinder Death Squads" and "Crass-pics".
“Is Carver coming with us, Ms Mayor? And who owns what we find?”
"He and I have discussed that matter at length. Despite his experience as a Pathfinder, I'm not entirely comfortable with sending him out until we know more about what else is living on the island with us. He will provide you with whatever information he can, and you can return here as you make discoveries to have him study them. Whatever you find of value belongs to the colony, and you will be paid for your work from it. I will determine what to provide to the Pathfinder Society, and the appropriate compensation."
“The lost civilization beyond the waterfall sounds interesting, but I don’t really mind which order we tackle them in. Do you think we’d be able to take Persephone and Sledge to that location, Carver?”
"Well, unless you have some way of protecting their skin from the fresh water of the river, I don't expect you will be able to take them inland from the ocean very far or for very long. Since the sites we know about are near the coast, however, it is probably reasonable to travel around the coast rather than going straight across the island, and they could travel with you."
Arcilde shakes the Pathfinder's hand. Aye, some o' your comrades freed me from my clan some time back. Tho I imagine that 'ad as much to do wit' th' Andoran liv'ry and bellflower tattoos.
"Is that a fact? I would love to hear that story some time. Do you know if it made it into a Pathfinder Chronicle?"
-----------
Lily sticks her tongue out at Gervase, though the bright shade of red she turns almost matches her hair.
I have got to stop letting you talk me into extra bottles of mead... the things I agree to...
She coughs and straightens herself, brushing her hair away from her face.
I think the Ulfen colony might be the best to start with, and see what we find there. If we can help it, I think traveling along the coast will be safer than traveling inland until we've established some more outpost and safe holds.
“Mm. It’s a wonder I’m not hoarse from all that convincing I had to do.”
Gervase looks from Lily to the others. “Can everyone hear me alright?”
I think the Ulfen colony might be the best to start with … traveling along the coast will be safer than traveling inland ...
“I agree. Once I’ve collected my shark, I should be good to go. Can I borrow the silver pocket-watch compass again please, Ms Mayor?”
The ranger looks innocently at Carver Hastings. “Unless the Pathfinder Society has another way of preventing their agents from getting lost?”
The ranger looks innocently at Carver Hastings. “Unless the Pathfinder Society has another way of preventing their agents from getting lost?”
Carver laughs, then unbuckles a small leather pouch from his belt and holds it up. "Shall I induct you as a member of the Pathfinder Society, then? That is how one generally acquires a Wayfinder, after all."
"Will it hurt?"
Gervase rubs her jaw thinking ... "Does it involve sacrificing a long-eared rodent on a Gozrehan altar?"
Lily glares at Gervase and sighs.
Sounds fun and all, but my duty is to the colony and my farm first.
Flower appears and sticks her tiny wooden tongue out at Gervase, letting her know how she feels about the joke.
Course, if Gervase decides to go and get inducted, I might as well join to, cause she's gonna drag me into whatever mess you guys get her involved in.
She mutters.
"No, pretty much just means that I write your name down and send it to the Grand Lodge on the next trade ship, and I give you a Wayfinder. Then you agree to help out when the Society requests ... such as you are doing right now."
"I'm in!" cries Gilstrom excitedly. "Being sent off to do adventures is why I'm here, after all. Plus a Wayfinder sounds super neat. Let's get out beasties and go to the waterfall."
“Is that all? Hey, sign me up too!”
I wonder what the ‘Grand Lodge’ is?
“When do we get our badges and code names?”
"I wanna be Barth Deathsword!"
“Oooh, nice one, Gilstrom! I want something moody and anonymous.”
She thinks for a while … “How about ‘The Professional.’ Or is that already taken?”
I'm not sure 'ow much 'elp I can be at any of them.
“C’mon, Arcilde.”
Gervase grabs the dwarf around the waist from behind. “You know when our hard knocks Pathfinder life leaves us sad and sorry, we turn to you to make it all better.”
Carver shakes his head, hoping that most of what you say is intended as humor. "No code names or badges, but I was given a spare Wayfinder by my Venture-Captain back in Almas in case I did recruit anyone. You will have to share it, and I will need it back once you are able to requisition one of your own ... they are somewhat difficult to make, so the Grand Lodge does expect us to cover the costs."
----------------
You gear up, pack sufficient provisions for a journey, and start out around the coast line. After a full day of relatively uneventful travel , you arrive at the area Carver noted on your map.
The ancient remnants of a long-lost settlement are nestled away in a lowland cove surrounded by high cliffs. A single, large building of old river stones with a collapsed wood roof stands on a low hill around a flooded reach of tidal pools and empty cellar holes.
“So we’re sharing a wayfinder, Gilstrom. Does that make us Half-finders?”
Gervase stifles a <giggle> at the look on Carver’s face, and readies to make a run for it.
He’s just not used to briefings with characters like us. I’m sure the Society has never had field agents as madcap as Gilstrom and me!
♒
Gervase stands waist-deep in the water, shading her eyes with her hand as she observes the ruined settlement.
“I’m guessing the prize is in the big building on the bluff, but the cliffs are too steep for us to get up there without attracting serious attention.”
She nods likes she’s made up her mind. “I think we need to do this in three stages.”
“Take the southern outpost, by swimming up to it from the south. That approach should shield us from any unfriendly eyes in the bayside fort or the big house on the hill.”
“Once we secure the seaside building, we scout an approach to the next building inside the breakwater. From there we find a route up to the cliffside manor.”
She peers leeward again. “I’m guessing there’s a tunnel leading from the beach to the manor, but there could be a hidden trail we can’t see from here.”
“Anyway, first things first. Are we all happy to make an amphibious assault on the outermost building from the south?”
Gervase remembers the wand of goodberry on the day the Ulfen settlement is re-discovered.
“I think Gilstrom and I should each carry a potion of CMW into battle, while Arcilde and Lily share the three CLW potions between them. Thoughts?”
While the others think over the plan, she readies Sledge for his first mission with the team. The young shark swims about her playfully – seemingly oblivious to what’s about to happen.
He’s got no idea whatsoever. Maybe that’s a good thing?
Gervase grabs his dorsal fin to get his attention before signalling her commands silently.
She first makes her hands into twin open cups, joining them together atop each other to form an ‘S’ shape. SLEDGE
Followed by clenched fists crossed over her chest. GUARD
And finally she blows a kiss with her right hand. LILY
Lily nods.
I can hang back a bit to... I have much further range with my needles than any of you do.
As Gervase makes her hand signs, Lily tilts her head in confusion not knowing what the symbol means.
Huh, nifty way to talk to a animal. You have to teach me those signs sometime Gervase.
She leans down and gives Sledge a belly rub.
“They’re actually pretty straight forward. And I thought hand-signals would be best for when we’re underwater.”
“That last signal is Sledge’s ‘word’ for you, Lily.”
Gervase makes her right hand into a fist and makes a pounding action, like a hammer against an anvil. “That’s Arcilde.”
She then makes an up-and-down waving motion with the same hand. “That’s Persephone.”
“And finally we have the sign for Gilstrom.”
Gervase shows Lily the signal and raises an eyebrow. “What do you think? Controversial I know – but undeniably Gilstrom.”
Lily looks ready to object, but then sees Gilstrom's handsign and she can't stop giggling.
Flower pokes his head from Lily's hair and whispers something into her ear. She scratches the wooden rabbit behind the ear as she looks at the cliffs.
Flower says those cliffs are made of Basalt... it's good building stuff.
"Oh! I know about basalt! Auntie Binkinsturf was an expert sculptor until the incident and we could never get it back out."
He looks over Gervase's signs with interest. "You sohuld try being a gnome, you can just talk to your critters then. Although I've never found sharks to be much conversation. Dolphins are so much more clever! Anyways, swim up from the south to the first building? Sounds good to me."
He fixes his lance and snaps down his goggles before saluting. "Let's go!"
“Sounds like the basalt outcrop could be turned into a quarry for the colony. Once we've cleared the area of course.”
“…until the incident and we could never get it back out.”
Gervase closes her eyes, visibly cringing at this.
“Dolphins are so much more clever!”
“Oh, you’ll get no argument from me, Gilstrom. Do you know how long it took me to teach him to go bite something?”
Gervase grabs Sledge around the neck of his hammer and shakes him from side-to-side. “Who’s a silly mutt? Who’s a silly mutt? It’s YOU, isn’t it?”
She looks up grinning. “Now what say we all get wet!”
Lily will wade in the shallows on the left bank. She's still not the strongest swimmer...
Gervase notes the others’ concerns and that the old buildings appear to be deserted.
I’d be surprised if they are though. Maybe they’re haunted?
She then turns her attention back to the deep water surrounding the lower buildings.
“IF nothing inhabits the land, it follows any denizens claiming this territory are in the water. As a group, we are probably more effective on land at the moment. So what say we climb the low cliffs HERE, and then walk around the bay towards the cliffside building, on its elevation?”
“That way if something comes out of the water to challenge us, we have the advantage of higher ground, and Lily and I can pelt them with missiles. From the upper ruin, we may also get a better view of what’s present at water level.”
“I don’t fancy a walk along the beach. We could get ambushed by seaborne opponents or have rocks thrown at us from above.”
Lily nods.
Solid plan Gervase. Let's do that.
You leave Persephone and Sledge where the sea floor begins to rise up toward the cliffs, ready to swim in if called. Ascending the incline at a shallow point, you make your way toward the ruins from the land.
Nothing challenges you as you approach the ruined lodge on the hill. A search of the lodge reveals a threadbare bedroll, a rusted iron pot, and other signs of a makeshift camp, as well as strange markings on the wall near the camp. You check your notes from Carver Hastings, and these appear to be Pathfinder signs indicating "undead + water" and "no safe shelter". There are also marks that correspond to symbols on the wayfinder and distance units, and seem to be directions to something.
“Well, seems you guys were spot-on about staying out of the water.”
Gervase’s features pale at the "undead + water" Pathfinder symbols. “Let’s see if I can work out these bearing and distance icons. May I borrow the wayfinder please, Agent Noblewater?”
Lily also gulps.
Undead in the water? I hope that's not the case... it could be a undead shark... or even worse, a undead octopus.
She shudders and hugs herself.
Undead are bad enough, but a undead with tentacles!?
She shakes her head both as a "NO!" as well as to get the thought of her head.
Flower pops out onto her shoulder from her hair and whispers something into her ear...
Gilstrom is not particularly good at anything that doesn't involve ships, knightly battle, or frolicking and thus he kind of just scampers along with the group. He stares at the symbols as he passes the Wayfinder over to Gervase.
"Oh wow, an undead octopus?! I hope Persephone doesn't meet one without me! That'd be amazing!"
Gervase studies the markings and compares them to marks on the Wayfinder; looking at your map of the island, you are pretty sure these indicate the location of the hidden waterfall cave referred to in Durven Gest's notes. These marks were probably left by Gest himself, indicating his next destination.
Lily looks at the way the buildings are set up, and at the state of the water and coastline. She and Flower agree that the buildings were probably all originally on land and reasonably high, but a powerful storm (a hurricane or tsunami) destroyed the natural barriers and flooded the area, leaving it in its current state. Given the arrangement, this was probably a storehouse and lookout, while the others would have been actual shelters for whoever was living here.
“I figure it’s unlikely there’d be anything worth facing tides of undead for in the lower buildings.”
A studious Gervase looks up from the wayfinder in her hand. “I think we should strike out overland as Durvin Gest did towards the waterfall.”
“What does everyone think?”
Lily bites her lip, curiosity getting the better of her.
Maybe... but maybe there are some sort of lost treasures...