The man looks worried, and stumbles over his answer. H-h-hired? No one hired us, lady. We were just out for some fun tearing up stuff, you know? Thought this ship looked like an easy target to burn."
"You're lying," says Reva flatly. "Try again. You're a very good liar. Say that we killed someone else who gave up his guts, because the alternative is this woman this woman burn out your mind." Reva jerks a thumb over to Blossom.
I have the faces of those who ran memorized. I'll get um sooner or later. Saphren says to no one in particular. Then he turns to Reva and asks Can I go ahead and kill these thugs, or is one of um talking?
Magnus punctuates Saphrens inquiry with a crack of his neck and a sharp swinging of his hammer.
Blossom smirks as Reva attempts to use her as a threat against the would-be arsonists, locks of her hair caressing their faces gently.
The thug blinks, clearly astounded that Reva called him on his lie, which he thought was a pretty good one. A bit ruffled, especially as Blossom's snake-like tresses begin to trail over his face.
"Ok, alright....Keep her off me...I'll tell you, ok? We wuz paid 20 gp by Clegg Zincher. He said to take out any other ships headed for Devil's Elbow, and we heard from t' crew that's where dis one wuz headed. No offense, miss. Strictly bizness, y'know?"
This time you feel like you are getting story with the ring of the truth to it.
"... vell. Cannot hurt a man for tryingk." the dwarf growls. "Until ve are gettingk our hands on him anyvay. Vot shall ve do with ze lackeys?"
Take their 20 gold for sure. Saphren says pragmatically. I am for spilling them into the drink halfway to the Elbow, unless then can provide some good reason for us not to do that.
CAptain Creesy walks up catching the tail end of the conversation. "Sounds like a reasonable penalty to me," he says grimly. "Trying to burn my ship...I should set fire to 'em right where they stand."
Clearing his throat he gives his report, "Looks like the damage is mostly superficial. A few sails and some rigging got ruined, but nothing that can't be replaced in short order. By your command, the crew can work through the night and have us ready to weigh anchor at first light, or if you're not in a rush, they can work through the day tomorrow and leave in the afternoon? Not sure what kind of all-fired hurry you are in, but it sounds like trouble waiting for you on the other end as well."
Creesy's offer gives Magnus some pause and the Dwarf nods respectfully. "Those may not be the only of Zincher's hirelingks. Perhaps zat vould be prudent. I know not what assistance I might be but I vill stay up with the men." he says, setting his hammer down with a weary moan. "I would not ask a man to go without sleep if I were restingk soundly."
"The later we are, the more of this..." she waves her hand around the ship. "We'll have to deal with it. Magnus is right, if there's assistance we can lend, we'll lend it."
I am for anything that gets us out of this port quickly captain. Put us to work.
The captain smiles at your response. "More hands makes lighter work," he says clearly impressed at your willingness to do the labor required. He and the crew start on the repairs, and their skill and craftsmanship is soon quite evident.
They work through the night, asking for your help occasionally, but mostly keeping you out of the way. As the sun starts to light up the eastern sky, the captain calls a halt to the work. "Everything that must be done before we make way is done. There are some other things that can be repaired on the fly. I will send the crew to rest for a couple of hours, I suggest you do the same. We will be ready to weight anchor for Devil's Elbow at the 6th hour. We will see you then."
Saphren checks his gear and near empty coin pouch before commuting We we want to sell this lot of stuff and buy anything before we sail? He indicates what the group looted from the thugs.
Trig scratches her chin. "Hardly worth it I would think. What would the total come to?"
"This Dwarf is ready to be hittingk the stone." he yawns.
Having already used the spells she memorized in the hopes of gaining more information from their earlier captive, Blossom 'puts too' and provides what aid she is able in the interests of reversing the damage done.
AS the 6th bell rings above the ruined piers of Riddleport, the Flying Cloud is ready to get under way for Devil's Elbow. The party comes aboard and the plank is lifted, the hawsers unknotted, and the anchor brought up. The sails are slowly unfurled and Creesy, after welcoming aboard with a hearty salute, mans the tiller, the wind blowing back his long black curls.
After just a few moments, the city is behind you, and the open sea lies before. The Flying Cloud lives up to her name, and races across the top of the gentle swells at brisk pace.
The trip which begins with much excitement soon settles into a boring routine of rocking and rolling with the waves and the popping of the wind in the canvas. Those that need rest from teh night before are able to catch some sleep or study their spells or pray silently in berths below decks.
After a trip that spans most of the length of a day, the captain rouses you all to the deck. About an hour before sundown, he points out the dark shape on the horizon, which he tells you is your destination. The forested island is quiet as the ship approaches; no signs of life are immediately apparent. A low ridge forms a spine along the length of the island, its slopes covered with dense forest and its shores affording very few safe places to land. Two stone towers rise above the level of the surrounding trees along the top of the island's ridge, one to the east and one at the island's center. A thin plume of smoke rises from a point about midway between those towers at about the height of the central ridge.
Yet the most dramatic sight as the ship nears its destination is the immense crater on the island's northeastern slope. The crater itself is hundreds of feet wide and surrounded by an even larger swath of burnt trees that have been knocked flat in a burst pattern around the impact site. It appears nearly a quarter of the island's forest was destroyed by the impact and resulting fire.
Creesy seems nervous as he pilots the ship around the island looking for a safe harbor. "I'd rather not hang around this place waiting for you. Can you tell me a pick-up date when you will be done here, and I will meet you then? The stories of this place make me, and the crew, nervous."
Just as he says this, a bright light suddenly flashes at the peak of the island's central tower, a sparkling display of pyrotechnics that lasts for several seconds before expiring. The blast seems to seal the deal for Creesy. "I will put you ashore at the pier there and help you disembark, but I will not spend the night at this place."
Although unused to boats, Reva seems completely at peace staring out to the sea and occasionally putting in some help with the ship when bored. Otherwise she spends her time secluded in prayer, preparing for whatever troubles await them ahead. She gasps as she sees the size of the crater on the island.
"This may be of a slightly larger scale than we had anticipated," she mutters.
Reva looks over her companions. "How long do we expect to take here? Couple of days?"
As long as it takes. Saphren says pragmatically. I am sure the elf can hunt. Can you drop us off near the crater? I'd rather not advertise that we are here by walking down the dock.
Magnus balks at the prospect of swimming to shore, clinging to the taffrail of the ship he is so "Anybody vatching the coast vill have seen our approach, half-orc, trundling along on a ship the size of a purple vorm." the dwarf cuts. "We have supplies to unload, and an ambush on the beach vill be far more dire than one on the vharf."
His expression softens, and he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Forgive me. I am cranky from the lack of sleep. We vill do what the others think is best."
"I think I could be a sailor," muses Reva before she turns to the others.
"We need a pickup time, Saphren. It's a short voyage from Riddleport. Let's say three days. And I'm with Magnus, people are flocking to this place from all over from what I can gather. Even if Zincher isn't a fan of us we're still not particularly important in the grand scheme of things. I think we should properly dock and get some information."
I was not recommending swimming. We take the small boat and can land where we want.
"I think some caution is appropriate. Taking the jollyboat and rowing ashore would be fine by me."
"If the Captain has no desire to risk either his ship or his crew beyond what he has already done, that is hardly surprising." Blossom adds, "personally, I have little care if we approach by the dock or the beach, so long as we do so soon..."
Captain Creesy shakes his head when asked about anchoring elsewhere and perhaps taking the longboat in. "I see your point, but I won't risk the ship on the rocks. This whole island is filthy with 'em, an' they hide just below the waterline. The only safe approach is to the harbor. I am sorry if that upsets yoru plans."
He pilots the boat up to the pier, and the hawsers are soon tied off, securing the Flying Cloud along the quay. The crew starts off loading your gear, moving your backpacks and gear to the dock hurriedly, having heard the stories of the ghosts that haunt this place.
From the seemingly abandoned buildings along the shore, a voice suddenly calls out, "Ahoy the ship! Ahoy! Goldhammer's Expedition requesting permission to approach!". Magnus and Trig recognize the dwarf as Gravin Goldhammer, leader of his eponymous expedition and representative of the Gas Forges.
Waving a stained white rag, a ragged looking dwarf with a forked white beard steps out of the shadows of the buildings and seeks your attention. Behind, him a rag-tag band of four others (2 dwarves and 2 humans) stagger out as well.
As the band approaches, it is evident that they have a had a hard time of it. Their clothes are torn and filthy and their faces are worn and haggard as they limp to the ship.
"Ahoy! Captain of the Flying Cloud" shouts Goldhammer wearily. "We seek passage off this accursed island. Can you return my expedition to Riddleport post-haste?"
Glad to have a reason to get out of port again, Creesy readily agrees. "Come aboard, mates. I will ferry you back to the city." To you, he says, "When do you wish me to return, friends? After I take them back, I can be here as early as tomorrow evening, but I will not want to spend the night here. Tell me when you wish for my return."
As the tired and terrified men clamber aboard, you have the opportunity to talk with them or their bearded leader.
"It is my kinsman!" the Dwarf says, amazed. "How now, Goldhammer? Vhy are you lookingk so afraid?"
"What happened? Where are the others who left with you? I heard you had a dozen from the Gas works, both longshanks and brothers of stone. Are they... oh please tell us they aren't dead!"
Goldhammer turns to Magnus and Trig, recognzing them both. He looks a bit abashed, but more relieved to be going back home. "Aye, little one. We landed a couple of days ago with thirteen an' this is all that's left. Most of 'em be dead. The rest, missing." He looks grim as he turns to recount what happened over the past few days.
"Them stories 'bout Virashi's Curse er'right -- mostly. Only t'ain't ghosts what haunt this place, no. Tis monsters. Low-to-the-ground things, fast an' lean. Ne'er did get me a good look at one o' 'em, even with 'em snatching a few o' my men an' dragging 'em off into t'woods. A few others got bit 'r slashed an' their wounds turned bad. Some sort o' sick got in them, an' then, when they died, it came back out o' their faces. Torag's scars, but that were a sight I'd like t' unsee. Came right out o' there faces like they's tongues, and then me own men attacked us. We put 'em down an' burned t'bodies just this morning. Whatever's out there, it's not fit fer this world. Ye shouldn't stay 'ere. If ye had any sense, ye'd get back on tha' boat an' head right back t'Riddleport."
His terrified men clamber aboard as you talk, readying to depart back for the mainland.
Reva blinks incredulously.
"Monsters? Monsters that come out of people's face?!" She shudders.
"This seems less pleasant every day, but this is all connected somehow. We have to carry on."
Goldhammer can you tell where all you encountered these creatures? Perhaps you could sketch us a quick map?
Blossom contemplates the imaginings sparked by the dwarven survivor's descriptions.
"Aye, right out o' there faces, missy. Wee little worms, like tongues. It were a sight, no doubt."
"We didna make it very far inland but used these shore buildin' as shelters. Me men was drug off from 'ere, an' then when we started climbin' up t'hill t'Witchlight, we got hit 'gain. Tha's before t'Cyphermages there ran us off. I reckon them flashes o' light t'spells o' them mages fightin' off the beasts what ate me expedition, eh?"
Blossom has never heard of a creature with those characteristics before, and mainly considers Goldhammer' story a farce or at best, a big prank.
"Torag preserve us." the dwarf mutters, warding himself with a clumsy hand gesture and turning to Trig. "You should go back vith the expedition, leetle one."
Reva breathes out slowly as she stares at the island, stone-faced as always.
"My Lady, guide us and give us strength in the face of evil," she whispers, touching her holy symbol.
"Magnus, if I was Trig right now I'd turn you into a turnip. We need her, just like we need you to face this. The Inheritor is with us, our mission is just, and we will persevere. Are we ready to go?"
Trig laughs, "You guys wouldn't last five minutes without my magic. I'm with you all the way, Magnus."
She gets a little more sober after that, thinking about the creatures. "Sounds like nothing I've ever heard of. Hmm... is it possible they are attracted to the fallen star, or even... maybe they came from it?"
Saphren takes enough time to put a new edge on his weapon (whetstone) before announcing. I am ready. I see no reason to go to the buildings if they are overrun by these creatures. And I have no wish to fight with the cyphermages. Turning the their elven companion he asks What do you council?
Kwava shrugs, "Our mission here is not recovery of skymetal, but tracking down the dark-elves and uncovering more about them. Perhaps we could see if the Cyphermages have any news on that front? Or we could just set out to explore."
Creesy agree to meet you on the day after tomorrow here at the pier. Soon the ship, with a new load of passengers departs, bound for Riddleport.
Now left on the island, teh group looks a the harbor more closely. You see that the buildings and warehouses along the piers are long abandoned and in a state of massive disrepair. Two of the piers are basically unusable with many planks missing from their length and the ends twisting into the water where only a few leaning piling protrude from the surf.
Any buildings are partially or totally collapsed, and the only inhabitants are a large number of bright red, foot long, centipedes that crawl over all the piles of rubble and debris.
A steep, overgrown trail leads up the hill to the tower, where lights still flash occaisionally. A flock of vultures circles over that structure ominously.
He is using a pretty big 'our" there with that statement. Saphren thinks to himself. I'd kiel to at least see some sky metal after coming out here. That way seems to obvious. Saphren says eying the path to the tower. How hard do you think it would be to head directly for the crater?
"Möguleikann á auð, það er alveg mögulegt að þessi 'illt álfar' gæti hafa þegar keypt um himinn málm. Þeir voru þegar hér eftir allt." Blossom mutters aside to Saphren.
The roads are somewhat overgrown but are still the easiest method of travel. Using the trails, anyone can move at normal overland speed. Stepping off the path into the underbrush, one soon finds themselves on the densely forested slopes of the island. Overland speed off the trails is cut in half and the thick underbrush is treated as difficult terrain.