"Well it would seem we are stranded here on an island filled with devils and things that would like to eat us. Any suggestions my friends?" Sal seems to be more annoyed than anything by the loss of their vessel.
Our wayward friend may have taken the rowboat to the ship, no? Can we make it to the boat if we swim?
Dristen peers out to the sea, a little phased by the development, but also encouraged by the idea that he could help the situation.
Maybe you could. I do not believe I could make the swim. You'd have to come back for me.
"I know I could swim to the ship. If that boat is around here somewhere though..?" He trails off as he looks around.
Well, we do not all have to make the swim. Was there not another boat at the ship that the swimmer could return with?
The boat is a bit farther out than you recall it being before , and vocal communication would be difficult, even with a yell in the humid air. Those appraising the swim see it as a reasonable feat for someone athletic to accomplish.
Dristen thinks for a second. There was a 2nd boat on the ship. If I swim out I could bring it back and then we can regroup on the ship. Ariston, do you still have the swim spell? Do you think you could use it on me.
Filios joins Dristen for the swim.
The two aquatically-inclined members of the team swim out to the main ship, and they do so without too much difficulty. A couple small fish brush against their feet, but there are no sharks saying hello as earlier.
As the vessel is approached though, nobody is seen above deck. The ship you may assume as yours has been replaced on the ropes to pull it up, hanging off the side of the ship.
Sal will keep an eye on the ship as any other member climbs up. Continuously scanning the sea and ship equally.
Dristen will climb on and search around the ship, trying to find the crew members. He left his shield and armor but he will have his dagger at the ready, and tag team the search with Filios.
Filios too climbs aboard, draws his sword and searches the boat with Dristen.
I wish they'd hurry up. I don't like being split up like this. What if they come back?
"Do not worry Haggin, I will keep you company." Sal smiles a bit as she unconsciously sidles as little closer to her gnomish friend.
Climbing aboard is not a problem, nor is finding the crew: they are all below deck - at least those that were alive when you left. The woman from the town is also with them. Her lower leg is quite mangled though, and a crude bandage and poultice is wrapped about it.
"Thank goodness you returned!" sounds Jeanne after noticing your arrival. "But where are the others?" Her expression goes from happiness to worry in a heartbeat, but no suspicion plays on her face.
"This islander used your boat to come back. She says she's escaping some "Netherfiends", whatever those are. Even queerer, the woman speaks some odd, barely recognizable dialect of abyssal. I could hardly tell."
Stay put! We need to bring the jolly boat back to shore and grab up the others, quickly! We will explain more when we return. We should probably get this ship ready to cast off when we arrive.
Filios begins the lower the boat into the water.
Come, Dristen, lend a hand. Let's get the others.
Dristen states at the woman's bandaged leg. I should probably look at that soon; but you right Filios, let's get the others to the boat.
Dristen helps Filios put the small boat into the water and row it to shore.
Without much incident, the rest of the group is brought aboard, reunited with the sub-skeletal crew. The native is asleep, and the surviving crew members don't look to be in ship-shape; Wald seems exhausted, and the others seem to have a gloom hanging over them.
Roasted vegetables and jerky are in the common area below deck for all who would partake of them - along with some brandy.
As the sun begins to set, Wald puts the situation pointedly to you. "We're in some unknown land. Onaar may have known something about this, but I'm in the dark. The inhabitants seem murderous on land and sea. I just ... I don't know what to do! A captain is supposed to lead, but I have no direction to give." The little sailor is obviously frustrated with himself, agitation manifesting itself in his voice. "The woman said she and her ... ex-husband had been slaves since they were children. Some tyrannical empire destroyed their society. So there is civilization. But do we really want to deal with them?"
After listening to this brainstorming, Jeanne has some not-so-pretty emotions to air as well. "What about home? I didn't sign up to be with some globe hopping skipper. I want to see my sister again!" She storms out of the area and into one of the sleeping quarters. You can hear her flop onto a hammock.
Wald sighs in defeat and shakes his head.
Sal pipes up at his, having decided that this whole situation has got untenable."It is really quite simple, first priority is survival of the crew, second is getting home, third and least important is making some kind of profit off this trip."
I have to concur with Sal. We need a place that is safe in which we can establish some base of operation. Hopefully, it is some civilized town or city. I care not if we are under the oppressive yoke of some tyrannical empire, so long as their reach does not impact our day to day lives. We can certtainly attempt to deal with them after we have some degree of comfort and safety. We should consistently strive for a means to return home, but how and if that is possible remains to be seen. So, we need to reach a better, settled, land mass first.
Are we to continue on by boat then? We are bound to find some sort of city or settlement along the water. Along the oceans and rivers are where most people decide to live.
Sounds reasonable to me. Wald, as our captain, I suggest you begin some new charts and maps, indicating where we have been so that we do not return unknowingly and we can begin to get the lay of this world.
Dristen frowns as the conversation progresses. i don't think that sailing around the island and hugging the coast is a good idea. We would be spotted easily and our skeleton crew wouldn't be able to outran many vessels. I don't want to journey back ashore but I think we need to find a safe place first, in hiding, before we declare ourselves with the ship.
"Ain't had no other visitors after the fish people - besides the poor lady," chimes in Balo, taking a sip of his stew. "'n' saw no ships. But they could be out there. Jeanne's been running about like a stowaway rat all day. She doesn't like the open waters. Rather in the city."
Setting aside his bowl he goes to fetch a new bottle of some beverage. "What's it like on the land?"
Climate and terrain were very nice, and they appear suitable, even if very uncivilized. However, there was a summoning location, and the beasts just kept coming. We fought them off and killed a great many before escaping.
"Poor lady won't be able to walk on that leg for weeks, Rellington says. Must be horrible people on that island. I'd rather not go there."
So the crew wants everyone to stay together. Are there any of us that want to scout around some more first? There have to be some non-hostile inhabitants on the island.