In addition to the four in the water, one person died onboard; everyone else was, miraculously, out of the range of the steam blast.
"My thanks," the captain says, his eyes wide. "I've never seen anything like the way you lot killed that beast. That was ..."
He trails off with a shudder and turns back to the wheel, his eyes on the waves in front of him.
Lacsar sits heavily upon the deck, resting his bow across scalded knees. Through profound meditation his body begins to knit its wounds almost immediately. After little more than an hour he rises - healed.
Ki Pool (7):
Perfect Strike (7):
Mythic Power (9): xx
Spell Effects:--
Nic hesitantly stands back up from his cover, stepping slowly out onto the deck like a stork cautiously stepping into a pond... wary of predators.
His hand quickly darts into his wand sheath and begins running it along the burns on his face and right side where the steam did its worst.
"Everyone alright? Captain, that was ... uh ... exciting. Do dragon turtles often attack your boat?"
A voice calls up from the water, "Little help here...anyone?"
Tickdown scrambles up a rope that is dropped over the side (as the steam somehow managed to burn through the rope he had when he jumped over) and sits down on the nearest pile of something softer than wood. Gone are his usual antics and beguiling demeanor. Instead a look of pain and remorse are plastered to his face.
"Anyone think they can knit me up a bit?" he says in a quiet (for him) voice.
Nic touches the tip of his wand to Tickdown's shoulder a couple of times.. his focus remaining on the captain. "I mean, I've heard of dragon turtles, but I thought it was something like a dragonfly... overly grand name for something surprisingly mundane... not dragonflies are mundane..."
"No, they're real," he says, "but this is the first time I've ever had to face one. Usually when that happens, no one knows about it because you don't see the ship again."
As the ship resumes its voyage, it seems like the crew are being far more quiet, sometimes shying away from you if you come too close, other times staring at you for several moments before catching themselves and resuming their jobs.
"Thankee Nic."
Tickdown perks up as the captain talks.
He sinks back down into his seat as remembers the outcome for the sailors.
Nic absently pats the halfling on the head as a response before sliding the wand back into its hip sheath.
The rest of the day goes without incident, and as the ship nears the island, Captain Valgarave scouts out a safe approach.
Steep cliffs surround the island, except for the stretch of beach lining the natural harbor to the west, in the 'maw' of the head the island resembles. A volcanic mountain surrounded by lush jungle rises from the island’s center
In Valgarave's opinion, the western beach in the island’s harbor looks like the safest mooring, jagged underwater rocks making other approaches treacherous.
As he prepares a dinghy to take you to shore, he looks bleakly at the island.
"Take supplies, and eat and drink only from the ship’s stores," he warns. "Legend says those who partake of the bounty of Kraken’s Maw belong to the island forever."
He offers one more instruction as the dinghy sets forth: "Signal from shore when you wish to return. I can wait up to six days for you. After that, I must return to Blackcrag Cove to try to save my family."
As you arrive on the sands, a flight of brightly plumed parrots breaks from the forest, flying north. A pair of pteranodons swoops after them, snatching several from the sky before wheeling clumsily west and vanishing back into the jungle.
Ahead of you, massive conifers, ginkgoes and palms abound, with dense bromeliads, ferns, and vines providing ground cover that promises to make travel difficult. To the south, you can see several massive stone heads, some of them reaching what looks like more than 100 feet into the sky. The longed-haired, full-bearded heads bare their teeth in fierce scowls, though it’s unclear what race they represent.
Nic seems drawn to the approaching island, and stands transfixed beside the captain for a while.
As the captain begins his warnings and advice, Nic begins a running translation... into Aklo. If the captain stops his advice at any point to wonder what Nic is doing, Nic just smiles encouragingly and makes a 'go ahead' gesture... continuing the translation when the captain continues speaking.
He keeps this up during any remaining discussion the group has with the poor, confused captain.
Though, when the time comes, the tall samsaran gladly accepts the supplies, stuffing his backpack full. As they get ready to board the dinghy, he looks over at Tickdown, "Did you see those dragonbirds earlier? Magnificent!"
Lacsar knocks an arrow and pins it to his bow with a long finger. He holds the bow casually but ready. "I think we should go towards the heads. The oracle said 'look to wind and sky to find the path that you must travel'. Those heads look like a quick way up to both."
Nic nods, "...for the tears of last remorse..."
As the island comes into view, complete with parrot-eating Pteranodons, Big Al starts to whistle with excitement, almost bouncing up and down on Nightsong's back.
"Sweet swallowtails of Desna, those are dinosaurs, real dinosaurs! I've heard tales but I've never had the chance to see any first hand. I wonder how many are here, and if we'll get a close look?"
Big Al takes the food gratefully, makes sure to snack a bit as they're landing as well, and has Nightsong eat her fill as well. At Lacsar's suggestion, she nods, "Agreed! I just hope we can keep them visible through these trees. I'm not much for navigating in the wilderness like this. Any of you?" She pauses for an answer but adds, "Well, either way it's time to take off. Let's do this!"
As you approach the heads, about a mile walk from the beach, you see a pair of onyx-skinned humanoids fly toward you, black feathered wings flapping in the warm air.
They appear to be strix, a species of winged humanoids.
Calling in a strange, musical but airy language, they swirl in the air in broad loops.
"গ্রিটিংস, অপরিচিত. আপনার সাথে মানুষ কি ব্যবসা আছে?"
"Greetings, strangers. What business do you have with the People?"
Tickdown shakes hands with the last of the sailors on the boat and then gives a great sweeping bow to the captain. "Thank you for your help and your time my good man. But of course, one's family must come first. Whatever our task here may be, I should hope with good leadership (by myself of course), will make this but a short sojourn on this otherwise likeable looking island."
Gazing up at the heads, Tickdown smiles a wicked grin and looks at Al. "Think I could climb one and pick the fleas outta his head?!"
Lacsar is brought up short by the flying humanoids, quite sure he doesn't speak their language. He keeps his bow low and addresses them, "Hello. I'm Lacsar. I'm sorry I don't speak your language. Do you know Common or..." He quickly cycles through the names of every language he speaks in their native tongues, hoping one of these creatures speaks a language he knows.
If the winged people don't respond, he looks to the casters in the group, "Anyone have a magic to make this a dialogue not a monologue?"
Nic casts his own spell, understanding Dorian's words and listening intently for the creature's response.
Nic cocks his head to the side as his magic shifts his perceptions, responding to the creature in its own tongue.
"গ্রিটিংস, অপরিচিত. আপনার সাথে মানুষ কি ব্যবসা আছে?" the winged man repeats.
"Greetings, strangers. What business do you have with the People?"
Nic doesn't have to act to look confused. He responds to them in a halting fashion… partly in his usual Nic manner, partly trying to buy some time.
"... মানুষ? আপনি কি ... মানুষ?
As he waits for an answer, he quickly translates to his team. "He asks what business we have with the People. Does that mean anything to anyone?"
"If you would translate, I'd like to say: We are honored to meet you. We travel here because our own land is in peril from the Queen of the Inferno. We hear tell that the 'tears of last remorse' were once used to quench her rage here on your island, and could do so again. We humbly seek these tears, and would be grateful for any aid you could provide."
"হ্যাঁ, আমরা মানুষ."
"Yes, we are the people."
As Nic translates Alemarra's words, they gesture toward the head, and flying slowly in loops, urge you to follow them.
"আপনি Hiyalauai সাথে কথা বলতে হবে, আসুন."
"Come, you should speak to Hiyalauai."
They lead you to a 50-foot-tall head and gesture upward, where you can see what looks like a nest at the top.
As they follow, Nic tries to keep the conversation going as he cranes his neck up to follow their airborne movements. "তাই এই Hiyalauai যারা?"
"তিনি মানুষের নেতা."
"She is the leader of The People."
Nic looks around at the group as he pulls at his ear.
Not knowing how else to proceed, Nic repeats Big Al's earlier words for Hiyalauai.
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As you arrive at the base of the head, another strix -- clearly older -- flies down.
“The legends of our people say that once we were as the birds that fish the sea," she says as Nic translates. "Our ancestors drank of the forbidden waters of Arakau, and its touch made us as we are now. Wrathful indeed was the goddess. She cast us from her mountain, forbidding us to ever again drink of the sacred waters within. Yet even in her anger, she loved us still. She gave unto us this village, a home among the great stone heads of strangers long forgotten. Here, she keeps us safe from others who drank of the waters, others she turned her back on. We call those waters the tears of Arakau, the tears wept by the goddess for her lost children. Perhaps they are the tears you seek.
“Arakau weeps her tears within her mountain heart. But to drink, indeed even to touch the tears, brings her wrath, her curse. Only the most sacred vessel, blessed by the goddess herself, can carry the tears in safety. Once we had such a vessel, the earth chalice, a sacred relic of our kind. Our bravest used this chalice to fetch the sacred waters from her heart, that we might pour forth the tears onto the village soil to honor the goddess.
“Alas, the last of our kind to fetch the sacred tears, my own grand-nephew Okanimak, never returned. The earth-demons tore him from the skies and stole the chalice. They hold it now in their lair, the spires of the Demon’s Teeth. Heed me: without the earth chalice, the goddess will surely strike you down if you venture into her heart.”
Big Al listens to through Nic's faithful translation, nodding.
"Thank you, Hiyalauai, for your trust. We will strive faithfully to live up to it. If you can help us find this chalice, we would use it to save our land and then would happily return it to you, that you might have rightful possession of it once again. If that is acceptable to you, would you please tell us where to find the spires of the Demon's Teeth, and any information or wisdom that might aid us in defeating the earth-demons?"
She nods and pulls out a piece of cured hide, on which she draws a rough map of the island.
She marks her village, Mount Arakau, the Demon’s Teeth, and two ruined villages, though she warns you that the villages and volcano are taboo.
"আগ্নেয়গিরি পৃথিবীতে কাপ সহ্য যারা শুধুমাত্র দ্বারা পরিদর্শন করা হতে পারে, তবে গ্রামে প্রবেশের দেবী রাগ আনতে হবে."
"The volcano can be visited by only those who bear the earth chalice, but entering either village will bring the goddess’s anger."
The chalice, she explains, looks like a bowl of volcanic rock lined with ever-changing crystals.
"Thank you, Hiyalauai! And can you tell us anything about these earth-demons? Their appearance, strengths, or weaknesses?"
They are man-shaped, she described through Nic's translation, with stone-like skin, horns and wings. Though they look like statues, they move like the wind, and blades merely bounce off their hard hide.
They sound like they could be gargoyles.
"Hiyaluaui, you have been a great boon to us. Thank you. We will be on our way and endeavor to get succeed, and then to get the chalice back to you, it's rightful keepers." Big Al says, waiting for Nic to translate, and for any goodbyes.
Then, looking over the map, "Team, looking at this map it seems we have two routes to consider to get to the Demon's Teeth. We could skirt the coast around the ruined village and then cut East, or go straight NW, moving along the foot of the volcano, and then cutting WNW when the volcano starts to curve sharply East. Since none of us is terribly skilled at wilderness navigation, I propose the route along the base of the volcano. I think it'll be easier to stay on track (and not accidentally enter the ruined village) if we go that way. What do you think? Shall we be off?"
"Hmm...it's a shame we can't fly there. Any possibility you and yours would assist us in that manner, Hi...Hiya...Hiya-loo-ow-ee?"
Nic nods along with the conversation, translating for the strix as necessary.
Shortly after leaving the camp, the sun sets and you make camp for the night, which passes uneventfully except for the constant buzzing and biting of insects, some as large as a gnome's finger.
The next day dawns hot and humid and you continue northwest, toward the volcano. The first couple of hours passes without incident, but as you continue on, you suddenly hear something moving in the wilderness. A moment later, six 15-foot-long, squat reptilian creatures, similar in shape to a crocodile, but with a blunter snout filled with jagged,
sharp teeth and massive sails flexing and twitching on their back as they stalk forward, emerge from the undergrowth.
They're dimetrodons, a type of reptile very similar to a dinosaur.
Perception
Alemarra:
Bognus:
Dorian:
Lacsar:
Nic:
Tickdown:
Antagonist:
Initiative
Alemarra:
Bognus:
Dorian:
Lacsar:
Nic:
Tickdown:
Antagonist:
They have a vicious bite , but no special defenses beyond their tough hide.
Honestly, you doubt they'd be much of a challenge even before you got your new powers based on what you've seen this group do in its few fights together.