Champawat nods thoughtfully taking it all in. "Interesting. So where do we go next?"
"I don't think we're ready to go underwater," Teniel replies. 'We were headed to port as is. See what we can sell, or buy. Learn more about these islands. Potentially, we could hunt pirates for bounty—if we can learn a few secrets of Crimson Tide ship movements from these prisoners—though that would be time-consuming, and possibly dangerous."
"Any other suggestions? I absolutely think we should buy what maps we can. Maybe pay for lessons in a new language—whatever they speak in Kelesh or Tian Xia these days."
As the sailors start to round up the pirates, Tavros calls to his companions. "I'm going to see if I can't find that captain that jumped overboard. Make sure the pirates don't cause mischief while I'm gone." He then promptly jumps overboard, taking advantage of Alree's water walk spell and begins looking for the captain of the first ship he jumped on who ran away from him after causing a near fatal gash. At least this time I should have the high ground.
Tavros you spend a while looking for him, but are unable to find him. In theory if he is floating in the sea, he should be relatively easy to spot, even though it was several hundred feet away where he bailed.
You wonder if he made it to one of the other ships somehow, either magically or through brute swimming. You can't imagine a person swimming that far, that fast, but you don't see him out there.
Captain Miar assesses the damage to the hull from the cannon shots and to the burned rigging, and comes to the same conclusion, that it will make more sense to take command of the other ship and repair the minor damage done by Champawat, rather than take days to repair the damage to their current ship. She is concerned about the large holes in the hull. At least they are above the water line, but rough seas would pose a sinking danger, so the crew sets about dealing with that first.
The dead are set out and given a proper ceremonial burial at sea. The wounded are tended to.
"We should at least find the approximate place the gnome had them stop,before we head onwards. We might learn a great deal simply from being nearby to it. It's difficult to know, really." Make adds.
She spends her time tending the wounded. She does her best to ensure everyone is 'healthy', but though she doesn't enjoy it, she avoids healing the enemy crew too much. It wouldn't do to have a repeat of the day before. Especially since it would assuredly lead to more casualties.
While the others catch up with Champawat and deal with the prisoners Lucina would start moving whatever salvage she could to the ship they were going to take and start working on minor repairs with her mending magic.
Lucina nodded in agreement when Teniel said they weren't ready to go underwater. "I'd rather avoid it as long as possible."
"Right. If we can tow or patch our ship enough to get it to the closest port, we can sell one as salvage. If not, we transfer the cargo, scuttle, etc. I can help with repairs, but the captain will know best what's salvable."
Tavros heads back to the ship, easily pulling himself up. "Well, no sign of that captain that bailed. Perhaps he was the creature that was attacking below deck? I remember some of our family had the ability to turn into animals. Or...at least they said they would be able to eventually."
The large bull-man frowns as he contemplates leaving their old ship. "Brother, if I lifted you up, would you be able to attach the masthead to the new ship? It seems a shame to lose it after you spent so much time working on it..." He pointedly avoids looking at the dead bodies, doing his best not to think about it.
Day 12 - Evening / Day 13 - Morning
The group and the ships crew work into the evening somewhat, enough to get things to a reasonable state and work to repair the holes in the ships hull first. At daybreak they start to work on the rigging and sails, taking sails and rope from the captured ship.
You have captured about 30 enemies, including a few casters and one captain. The majority of their hold contained supplies for the maintenance of the ship as well as food and water and various other supplies for sustenance.
Ransacking some of the quarters, the crew and your group find several locked chests. The keys were with the prisoners and you use them to open the chests.
The captain and crew count the booty. Altogether the haul contains:
21,0000 gp in gems
8,0000 gp in coins (silver, gold, platinum)
7,500 gp in other valuables
You also capture maps, spellbooks, spell components, and weapons. Two cloaks from the casters and the captain's cutlass were magical.
With some effort the figurehead could be moved to the other ship, although it might require a good day's worth of work.
Your group needs to rest and reflect in a safe and reasonably quiet area for a few hours to complete the level up, so won't be able to help with the ship repairs. Luckily, given the fight, most of the crew will rest overnight after the worse of the repairs are done.
Tavros pulls out the maps and begins looking over them, hoping to gain some idea of where they are versus where they started off.
"So Sister Champawat, what brings you here? Did Mr Turtle think we needed more help? What can you tell us of the rest of our family?"
After a good night's sleep, Teniel returns to the leaky ship, walking around slowly to inspect the damage. "No, no, this isn't so bad," he explains, as one or two boards seal back up, clearly responding to a spell he's trying and failing to disguise. "And look at those sails—not on fire at all!"
And then Teniel spends a bit of time with the pile of things.
"Thank you brother. That is most gracious of you. Most of our kin headed to the dwarven water fort to lend aid against the encroaching army. I hear that a few of them sent out as scouts to gather information on the army. Gunther, Goivan, Prar, Qahnaarin, and I set out to scout ahead as well. One day, Gunther simply left, returned back to the fort I think. Despair seemed to take a hold of him. He wouldn't tell us anything, just turned and left. We pushed on ahead and found a temple inhabited by an ancient evil. We put the undead to rest and found a cursed painting. We returned to the fort to have their magic users inspect the painting. Their Loremaster believed it to be a portal and was able to open the door. We entered and spoke with what I can only describe as a spirit, imprisoned within what I'm assuming was the shadow realm. She...it, sent me here. I'm not sure what happened to the others." Champawat seems distracted as she recalls the events of her time in this world. "It's hard to imagine that we've only been here days. It feels like years almost."
"How many days are we from port, including our short stop?" Maks asks once she's had the chance to refresh her spell on the captain.
The question was rather important, as it determined how much of Teniel's newly found talent could be put to use.
Teniel, your Make Whole castings do an excellent job of patching the ships.
Makoto hoped nothing was lost in the translation as she explained to the captain what the things did... as well as the talent that Dalang had discovered... both for repair and creation of things both mundane and magical.
"The cloaks each bolster the chakra of the wearer against attacks to body and mind. The cutlass is supernaturally sharp and accurate. There is a great deal of captured resources beyond that, as well. Do you have any suggestions as to how things should be divided?"
"Either way, the Dalang should be capable of altering at least some of the materials into objects of more value, if he has time.
"Right," Teniel adds. "I've spent enough time on this boat to know how to fix it. Making anything new will take some... let's say, alchemy... that I don't have on hand."
"But I'd like to take what we can—gems, gold, and magic. We'd be happy to pay you for travel, now that we have coin; and you may have more use of a second ship, after any local bounties on pirates are collected. If you'd like to trade the survivors for future immunity, you can. Any sailors who didn't make it should have their families provided for."
"And, once we get to port, I'd be happy to magically treat the sails against future damage. We can discuss splitting the various prizes further; but decide what you and your crew need, and we'll have use for the rest."
And, later, to Alree An, "We're... a little lost here. But do you think we should try to pay the captain for ownership of one of the two ships? After we hit port, we could then set out on our own, looking for the sunken city and pirates to fight, but we might need a crew, and it would be an undertaking. Does your organization have the resources to aid us in our search without this, or would a ship be helpful?"
"Hmm, there was a dwarven fort? Why were they going to be attacked? And why send you here?" Tavros turns to Teniel. "You know about shadow things; have you ever heard of one of these shadow prisoner people?"
Lucina would continue to help on any repairs she could as they planned their next move. "We need to get the eggs back and stop the gnome thing from doing more damage."
Captain Miar has a meeting with the crew and your group and discusses the division of the treasure. The other ship will be worth some value, and taking into account some of the mundane supplies, she and officers and her crew of about two dozen will take 10,000 gp worth of valuables, and the other ship and the mundane supplies/weapons as well as prisoner bounties. You and Alree An will split the remaining 26,5000gp and the value of the three magic items and spellbooks. She notes that this wealth will allow many of them to retire from the harsh life of the sea, and that she herself is considering a change of pace for a bit.
"We are a week away from port yet, and things will be a bit slower with the prisoners and extra ship, but I hope we get there soon enough."
"There is no need to charge you for passage, as you have helped repair the ship and fought valiantly against the enemy in the fight and restored out ship's figurehead." to which she smiles wryly.
When you speak to Alree An later about the other ship and possibly buying it from Miar and using it yourselves. Alree An ponders for a moment. "That is a conceivable plan. We would have to hire a crew, which will take a while, but if that is our purpose, a ship would allow us to move about this area. We may need to determine our next path. I myself am committed to recovering your master, although I am always keeping the prevention of the return of the Destroyer as my primary goal. If I can stop Notorosake that will help, but he has thwarted our alliance many times."
"It would be a shame to have to retire the figurehead so soon, though." Maks says, matching the wry smile.
"If we were able to finish the Oni, is there anything in particular we would have to do to ensure he didn't become a new threat all over again? Oni are not one of those things that I have spent much of my time studying." she admits.
"Well, in addition to being a spirit, he is hard to kill since he can fly and turn invisible and turn gaseous change his form, and he regenerates fully from even mortal wounds. There are tales that he has been around for centuries or more. He also has magic to aid him and protect him from harmful magics or scrying. He also has powerful allies that he can turn to. Clearly he and his insane allies bent on this quest of destruction cannot be reasoned with."
"Hmm. Your organization—the Priests of the Void, or something. Can they provide aid in tracking Notorosake once we reach port? Would they be able to provide training that might help us stand up to an oni, or perhaps give information on his weaknesses? Or would we need to sail somewhere further to find them?"
"Yes Tavros. The goat tribes set out and left the plateau and headed for the dwarven fortress. It was built into a mountain near a lake. Very defensible and it looked like everyone in the immediate area was heading there for sanctuary. One of their military leaders, a man named Hawk, advised us that an army of monsters was marching against them, intent on war. Tolheimia was able to barter our safe passage for our assistance in their war efforts, mostly as scouts as far as I know. We were able to acquire some basic supplies there, but with the war coming, supplies were going quickly. I'd imagine that the captain would have more information, but it's just a guess."
"I will have to see who I can contact when we get to a port. I have been away for a bit, although occasionally I utilize magic forms of messaging to stay in contact with certain people. It will be hard to keep up with Notorosake, he has access to massive resources, and seems to be at least one step ahead of us most of the time. In addition, he is but one of many such agents that are working to bring about the end times." She runs a hand through her hair seemingly exasperated with madness that one envisions runs through the mind of these villains.
"I will contact who I can over the next few days. I feel if we can rescue your master, that will be a huge boon for our alliance. I would hope to invest time and effort to that end."
"While we're talking about resources, and ports and their ilk... in my time there was an island known as Absalom. It was regarded by many to be the center of man's civilization. At the heart of Absalom was said to be a test to reach a stone that fell from the heavens... success meant ascension to a higher being. Does Absalom still stand? What of the Test of the Star Stone? Have any succeeded in gaining its power in the last... several centuries?"
At some point over the next day or so, Teniel will see if he can identify the best, most dramatic hats from the captured pirates, so that the party has a set of appropriately nautical accoutrements should they decide to buy a ship.
"If we're buying the ship from The Captain we might be able to hire some of her crew back if they don't want to retire, we already know they are trust worthy and capable."
Tavros perks up when he hears Alree speak of messaging magic. "Is this the sort of thing where you have to personally know the people you're sending a message to? Or how exactly does it work?" It wasn't hard to tell that the minotaur was hoping to contact more of their family. Possibly even Goodwin himself, though it seemed more likely that he would be shielded from such messages. Or out of range. As might the rest of their family.
Alree An replies to Makoto. "The Test of the Star Stone is now more. Ancient Legends did tell of it, and we have heard of the stories kept alive despite the previous dark times of the Destroyer. But no. Not since the Destroyer's time has anyone ascended in such a manner. By other ways, yes, but Absalom was one of the targets of the Destroyer as I understand it."
Days 13 through 20
The following week is fairly uneventful, but by no means without a lot of work and things to decide and consider.
Captain Miar explains how you will be putting into port at Ren Denaio in a few days. It is a moderate port city, and the group will need to decide what they wish to do. Captain Miar and the crew will have to take some time to determine their affairs. Liquidating all of the treasure and dealing with port authorities will take some time. The handling of the pirates adds further complication, and the fate of their ship is not a given. Captain Miar will navigate all those obstacles, and the crew may be required to stay in port for the trials of the pirates so they can give statements. This also means your group as an integral part to the battle. Captain Miar considers this complication further. She advises that the trials should be short and fairly conclusive, but you would have to all give statements. Your biggest issue will be Tavros as his appearance and the reputation of minotaurs will be a hurdle. For the rest of you, your races will create some stigma but not outright fear. After the trial there will likely be some stir in the population as speculation and intrigue and stories surrounding the affair becomes common knowledge.
Once the trials are dealt with, you will have your share of the treasure to deal with. Supplies and equipment and reagents will no doubt be on your list to procure. Captain Miar can assist with most of that.
Alree An chuckles, "Life seemed so simple on this ship. This is why I am a traveler. I can't abide stuffy temples and being in crowded filthy cities. But I do have much work to do when I arrive as well. Once this affair of the trial is complete, I will spend some time and efforts on my obligations. Foremost in my mind is my promise to aid you in seeking your master. To that end I will be attempting to see if any information can be acquired."
Lucina, early in the week of sailing back to port, you have a dream on the night of Day 14.
Travelling to Kao-Lor Temple. Follow western edge of mountains north from fort until black ice. Asheranthi via minor dream spell.
Lucina, you recall that Asheranthi was one of your 'siblings' from one of the other groups seeking your master. You seem to recall her as a serpentine looking girl of mixed races.
The prisoners seem complacent enough, resigned to their fate. Few of them talk and they care kept bound and gagged most of the time, particularly the spellcasters. Occasionally they are allowed to stand and stretch, but are always tethered to the ship.
The group has much to prepare for. You have these piracy trials to participate in, treasure to account for and process, the ongoing search for your master, a plot to destroy the world and a peculiar eyeball held by Lucina, supplies and reagents to acquire. All of this in an unfamiliar city, which may have mixed feelings about you.
The crew has another small ceremony for the figurehead which was so rudely interrupted the previous time. Everyone is happy and the mood is generally positive given the large amount of treasure. Much of the talk is kept hushed but the crew is excited about their plans for the future.
Teniel, assuming he can scrounge up some very small bits of wood and metal, will spend downtime on the ship working on crafting a masterwork kepyak—the traditional foot drum of the shadow puppeteer. He also spends a bit of time learning local geography from the sailors, drawing up what rudimentary maps he can, and seeing if anyone knows a second language to teach him (Tien, Kelish, or some other regional language).
Tavros gives the captain a "But I'm so cute and lovable. Why would people be afraid of me?" look with his big brown eyes. He seems to have forgotten that he was knocking many of the sailors out with a single blow during the battle.
During the journey, Tavros jumps overboard every once in a while to run about on the ocean and generally stretch his legs.
The trip back is mostly boring for Makoto, who before bed, picks a random person to share her gift of gab with, each night, so that they'll be able to converse and understand the group freely the next day - still leaving conversations open, however.
She spends some time in meditation with Sensation, aligning it to herself, and practicing dances, katas, and painting with it. The discovery that the results only last for a day is a let-down, at first... but Teniel's acquisition of hats makes that a bit more entertaining, as she takes the time to 'paint' them daily.
She also takes the time to work with any extra wood they've managed to garner, carving the pieces in a way reminiscent of 'whittling backwards', as she sheers bits of wood off at a time, running the wood across the supernaturally sharp spear-tip. Once the works have basic shapes, she begins to work in details. She does her best to carve them into things from her memories of home, and the friends that are a world away. She then leaves the objects in random places for the sailors to find. Sora often winds up in the same places as these objects, observing the people on the boat, watching them with her head turned sideways.
Once to shore, Maks will focus on resupplying her arts and getting real tools, along with a new book for Lucina to write in (and the tools to do so). Then she settles in to actually utilizing her skills to help offset some of the cost of purchasing said objects. She whispers quiet prayers to Shelyn, telling her of the things she's seeing while she works, and hoping that the goddess will guide her hand.
Miyu, for his part, takes his time acclimating to the water, while trying, and mostly failing, to snare more fish. It's a source of great annoyance that a man with a stick and some string is more likely to succeed given the situation... but he continues to work towards it.
Once they reach the town, he stays near Makoto, though he still tests his skills in the surf (and with any luck, becomes significantly better at hunting for fish while swimming.)
Lucina would spend the time on the ship doing various things to keep herself entertained and help people, family and crew alike, around the ship that needed it; When people no longer needed her or she got in the way she would flee to Maks until she was called on again.
Like her other dreams Lucina would be quick to tell anyone that could understand her and would be willing to listen. "I think Asheranthi needs us at the Kao-Lor Temple, she sent me a message in my dreams with directions but I couldn't tell the name of the fort it was near."