Sasha watches the puppet show as well. When it's over, she decides to try her hand at fishing again. Using some of the wood that formed Soulwind's cliff-climbing harness, she constructs a new fishing pole.
After an hour or so, she snaps the rod over her knee in disgust and rejoins Douena in the shade, grumbling and cursing all the while. She takes out her egg, and spends the remainder of the hot hours watching that.
When the hot hours finally come to an end, the group sets about the task of getting the camp set up again.
The different terrain presents some new challenges, in particular, securing the canvases to make tents, but you are able to adjust without much difficulty (although Gelik and Ishirou seem completely without a clue of what to do and have to be guided through the whole process). After an hour and a half or so, the camp is ready again. You then have some time in which you can settle down and relax, a couple hours more than you normally have in the evenings, but not really enough to go out exploring.
Lorenz looks up at the cliff face. "I think I could probably climb up and tie another rope to the top if we needed it. That would probably be kind of fun, actually."
Later, when the others are remarking on Mahjik. "I don't know, he seems pretty much the same to me. 'Wise man' this, 'wise man' that, but the sayings never really make any sense no matter how healthy he is."
Seeing Sasha make another attempt at fishing, Lorenz pulls out his line and fish hook and does the same.
"Hey, I think I got something!" he shouts excitedly and starts to pull the line in.
In his best Mahjik impression Urza says "Wise men say when going forward you can't see where you're going if you're looking backwards."
1d20 + 4
"Hey, I think I got something!" he shouts excitedly and starts to pull the line in.
As Lorenz starts pulling in catches, Sasha walks up beside him, her arms crossed across her chest. "You know, I think my original opinion of you back on the Jenivere, when I really disliked you, was right. I hate you." It's clear from her expression, however, that she doesn't really mean it.
Trying his hand at fishing again, Makoa dips his line in the water..
..with similar results as his first attempt.
"I'm tying my javelin to this line and throwing it at a fish next time." He says. "We're going to need a way to smoke these fish so they last longer."
"Don't worry, Sasha," Douena says. "When your flappybite hatches, he can catch fish for you. Maybe we could train him to drop them on Lorenz's head."
Sasha grins. "You mean like this? She picks up one of the fish from Lorenz's pile and drops it on his head.
The gnome laughs and claps her hands in delight as Lorenz winces beneath his fishy headgear. "Only from much higher in the air, so it would make more of a sploitchy sound. We could do it to Gelik, too. And Makoa, except he would just catch the fish in his mouth and eat it."
"Maybe if I can catch a falling fish, the swimming ones won't be as hard for me to catch!" He says as he ties his javelins together(one to throw and one to hold) with fishing wire.
He moves away from the others and wades into the water, staying as still as possible while he waits for a fish to swim by...
1d20+3
1d6+3
As evening rolls in, Jask cooks up some more crab meat for dinner and then sets about constructing a smoker for the fish. Preparing the fish is not an issue as there's a ready supply of saltwater for the brine, and there's a ready supply of rocks as well, but now that the jungle is above you, a supply of wood for the smoker itself is not as great! A short trip down the beach to where the jungle starts up on this level again solves the wood supply however. He spends the rest of the evening working on it. Anyone who wants to help is welcome to do so.
Mahjik settles in near Jask and the fire. His hunched figure swaying slightly with the breeze. The slow rhythm of the back and forth seems to soothe and relax him. When Ishirou spends a little time with him he has enough presence of mind to say: "I'm feeling a little better, now that the day is cooling out a bit, hopefully I can sleep this off tonight. I'm sorry, I feel like I'm slowing down our progress."
Lorenz looks crestfallen at Sasha's reaction to his sudden success and jumps when the fish strikes him in the head, tripping on a piece of driftwood and falling to the ground. When he finally stands, covered in sand and bits of kelp, his expression is sheepish, though he can't hide a small grin.
"Okay, maybe I deserved that. I think I just got lucky and found a school of fish."
"See?" Douena asks Lorenz, patting him on the arm. "Desna's starting to warm up to you. You just stick with me."
The stars above shine in their usual subtle majesty. Mahjik turns his head slightly, to see the worried face of Jask look at him. "Don't worry, I've been sleeping or resting most of the day - I'm just a bit awake now. I feel better from before - there's still a friction to the thoughts in my head, but manageably so. Thank you for looking after us so diligently."
Makoa doesn't seem distracted tonight, and keeps a careful watch for the creature he spotted last night as he walks around the edge of the firelight.
Lorenz wipes a little of the fish slime from his hair. "I don't know, if getting struck in the head with a fish is a sign of Desna's blessing, I might prefer to do without." He says with a small smile and wipes his hand on his trousers.
Lorenz is unusually quiet, unsure just how much of Sasha's anger was genuine and how much of it she hadn't really meant. Given that, he decided to err on the side of caution, and simply kept his attention focused on the watch.
On watch
"Aerys, let me help with your poem. I might come up with some good ideas for you. Give a new perspective. I won't let anyone know. It would be our secret."
Diplomacy
Or maybe "no NPC has died" xp.
[/ooc]
It's a quiet night, only the sound of the waves lapping up on the shore not too far away. The constant buzz of insects seems much more subdued in this location.
After a while, Sasha sidles up beside Lorenz. "You're quiet tonight," she comments.
Aerys puts down her papers and looks at Urza thoughtfully. "I suppose I can tell you a little of what it's about, and you can add some ideas, sure. It's called the Abendego Cantos and it's an epic poem about the strength of personality holding out against incalculable odds. Kind of ironic really, considering I came so close to not doing that here on the island. Of course, now that I've managed to get through that, this experience is providing great influences for the poem. And your words from last night were helpful too. Any other pearls of wisdom?"
You are seated on the beach, letting the waves wash up over your toes. It's a cloudy night, no sign of the moon or stars. It's almost completely dark apart from the dim light of the campfire behind you. The others have all gone to sleep. You briefly wonder why no one else is on watch, but you dismiss the thought. This is a safe place. Nothing to worry about here.
Suddenly you see a green glow at the horizon to the west. It lights up the sky and clouds with its dim light. And it begins to spread out across the bay towards the group's little camp. You rush back to the camp to warn the others. Soulwind is whinnying nervously. You duck into the closest tent and reach out to wake Makoa, but he's completely covered in mold. You pull back and turn to Aakif, but he's the same way. One by one, you check the others to no avail. They are all covered in mold. Coming back out of the last tent, you see that the green glow has made it half way across the bay. Soulwind has collapsed and has been covered in green mold.
You see the rope dangling from the cliff and rush to it as the green light gets closer. You begin to climb, higher and higher up the cliff. Somehow the cliff seems taller now. It keeps going up and up and up. Finally, the top comes in sight. You're almost there when you hear the sound of wings and a great winged lizard with glowing red eyes lands at the top by the rope. It looks down at you, a long tongue slithering from its toothy maw. Then, with a flick of a claw, it slices the rope free and you fall into the glowing green light below.
Lorenz looks over at Sasha and smiles a little. "I guess I am. There's something about the night that makes me kind of sad. Maybe because there's not a lot to do other than think. Or it could be because bad things have happened to me a lot at night."
He looks up to meet Sasha's eyes. "You aren't still angry with me over the fish, are you? I didn't mean to catch so many!"
Lorenz looks over at Sasha and smiles a little. "I guess I am. There's something about the night that makes me kind of sad. Maybe because there's not a lot to do other than think. Or it could be because bad things have happened to me a lot at night."
He looks up to meet Sasha's eyes. "You aren't still angry with me over the fish, are you? I didn't mean to catch so many!"
Sasha stares wide-eyed at Lorenz for a moment. Then she bursts out laughing. Her laughter is loud enough to wake up others in the camp who are just drifting off to sleep. "Angry? I was more angry at myself for catching nothing at all. The rest was just teasing!" She takes a moment to let the laughter subside and get herself back under control (and possibly apologize in response to any annoyed comments from those trying to sleep). "You know, that's what I love about you, Lorenz. You're so...I don't know what the word is, but it's quite entertaining."
"You know, that's what I love about you, Lorenz. You're so...I don't know what the word is, but it's quite entertaining."
Lorenz's scarlet blush is visible even in the dim light. "Thank you. I didn't think you were that angry but I...well, sometimes things just sort of happen to me and that's when I end up looking for new work. Although I guess I'm not really working for anyone now so I guess I can't be fired. Anyway, as long as the word isn't a bad one, I'll take the compliment." He blushes some more and looks away until the heat fades away.
After a few moments he asked, "What are you going to do when this is all over and we finally reach Eleder? What were you going to do before we ended up on this island? Did you, do you have any plans for that?"
After a few moments he asked, "What are you going to do when this is all over and we finally reach Eleder? What were you going to do before we ended up on this island? Did you, do you have any plans for that?"
Sasha shrugs. "I don't really know. I just wanted to get away, be free. What I'll do now that all this has happened is kind of up in the air too. Ultimately, I'd like to go somewhere that the Red Mantis is not. But I'm not sure such a place exists. Maybe I'll go explore the Mwangi. That's big, isn't it? Easy to disappear from sight in there. You could come with me if you want. With you soaking up all the bad luck, there'd be only good luck left for me!" She grins.
"Well maybe that's a lesson in itself. Sooner or later everyone needs someone else. In all of the great stories the hero has a sidekick or mentor or ally that helps him at a crucial point to get him through. A person's character isn't shown, it can't be shown until he has troubles. Persevering through and overcoming that trouble is what makes a person - any person- great." Urza looks at Aerys meaningfully.
"Well maybe that's a lesson in itself. Sooner or later everyone needs someone else. In all of the great stories the hero has a sidekick or mentor or ally that helps him at a crucial point to get him through. A person's character isn't shown, it can't be shown until he has troubles. Persevering through and overcoming that trouble is what makes a person - any person- great." Urza looks at Aerys meaningfully.
Aerys nods thoughtfully. "That's good. That's really good. I'll just paraphrase that a little, but that's really good. I think this shipwreck is turning into one of the best things that have happened to me." She chuckles. "Heh, imagine trying to tell me that a few days ago! I'm learning a lot from you and Makoa and everyone else. There's a lot of nobility here, and I'm not used to that. And I mean nobility in the metaphorical sense, not the literal noble-blood sense. Most people are selfish, if not outright evil. Good people are usually few and far between. It's nice to have a bunch of good-hearted people all concentrated together for a change." She starts scribbling down more words onto her papers.
As everyone settles down for the evening, Douena moves around the camp bestowing blessings, with an extra-special blessing for Mahjik. Then she seats herself near the water's edge to commune with Desna. When Sasha bursts out laughing several minutes later, she demands to be let in on the joke but eventually finishes and moves back closer to the camp to get a nap before her watch. "The stars are farther away down here," she tells Sasha and Lorenz quietly, "but the sounds of waves on the shore is nice -- nicer than the buzz of insects in the jungle, anyway."
As the tip of the sun is just emerging from beneath the watery depths of the eastern horizon and the camp is starting to stir, Douena suddenly sits bolt upright and utters a piercing shriek. From the jungle above, a startled flight of birds takes wing.
Jask rushes over to Douena's side. "Another dream?" he asks.
Mahjik follows Jask to Douena's side and looks worried at the little gnome's anguished features. He sits down next to her and pats her hair a bit. "Wise man would ask his goddess to provide a bit more peaceful sleep, at least once in a while."
Douena blinks around at everyone with teary eyes, seeking reassurance they are all right, then gets up and runs over the rope dangling down the cliffside and gives it a sharp tug. "Oh, that was awful," she gasps. "I tried to wake you all up, but you were.... There was.... And then I tried to climb up, but that thing with red eyes was at the top and it cut the rope, and ... oh!" She plops down heavily on the sand at the foot of the cliff and gathers herself before relating her dream.
"In my dream, I was on watch, sitting by the bay with my toes in the water and the little waves coming up and tickling them. The sky was dark, like it was cloudy -- no moon or stars, and the only light was from our campfire, but it was nice and quiet -- nothing scary. Then, way out over the bay, there was a light. At first I thought it was the sun rising until I realized I was facing the wrong direction. And the light was all sick and green-looking. It kept getting brighter and brighter and spreading across the water, like it was coming right towards us. I ran back to tell you all, but you wouldn't wake up; there was ... some kind of green mold growing all over all of you, so I couldn't see your faces -- even Soulwind. And the light kept getting closer and closer, and I had to get away from it so I ran for the rope and started climbing. I climbed and climbed until I should have been up in the sky, but the cliff kept going and the light kept coming up behind me. Then, when I finally saw the top of the cliff, a big lizard-thing with wings dropped down where the rope was tied off and looked down at me with glowing red eyes. It looked right at me, and then it," she motions with her fingers, "cut the rope, and I fell down into the light." She pauses a moment, in thought, then continues. "Jask is right. It's coming from out there," she points into the bay, "and it's covering the whole island, and we won't be safe as long as it's out there."
Jask nods thoughtfully. "That would fit with the dream I had. I think we are being told that there is a great evil on this island, perhaps greater than Ieana and the captain. Or perhaps it is the captain and Ieana. I'm not sure what to make of it."
Makoa stops his pacing to look at Douena, eyes shining yellow in the dim light.
"I do not know yet.. there is still something I have to know, but ask me again when we are to be free of the island."
"It sounds like we have an apex predator to deal with, which may very well be linked to the light Douena saw. I believe I saw it on a watch. I thought it was just a big dimorphodon, but know.. it seems the dreams of our priestly are coming dangerously true."
"No offense intended to your hatchling-to-be, Sasha, but I don't think the lizard-chickens are smart enough to cut ropes to prevent escape, or to put dead monkeys in trees as warnings or threats or what-have-you. I suspect that the creature in Douena's dream and the one we've seen flying over our previous camp are one and the same, and it seems to be a bit more villainous than we'd hoped. I don't see what we can really do about it, however, except to keep on as we have been and hope to uncover more clues."
Lorenz listens with eyes wide as Douena describes her dream. As the others discuss it, he considered their comments carefully.
"I wonder. It sounds to me that it's less a specific danger as the potential for one. What if it's not about the big winged thing or Ieana but what Ieana is trying to do? The results of her efforts?"
Mahjik nods, "As the wise man says, what if it's not about the big winged thing?"
Gelik wanders over, adjusting his hat and then using a spell to clean and press his clothes. "I know I've been rather vocal about not believing in the prophetic power of dreams," he says. "However, I must admit, I'm beginning to have doubts about my conclusions there. Regardless, Aakif is right. You must continue your explorations. Perhaps that trail you found will lead you to some answers. Or maybe you should keep going west if you think the trouble is coming from the west."
"I agree," Jask says. He turns to Mahjik. "However, Mahjik, I think you should stay behind today and rest. You are not fully recovered from your illness."
"Whatever it is, it's out there in the water somewhere, or maybe on one of the smaller islands. There's no way for us to get to it without a boat. I'm not very good at swimming. Or climbing," she adds, as an afterthought. "I wouldn't mind getting farther away from it, though," she goes on, getting to her feet. "Back to the other side of the island, maybe, or into the jungle where it can't just stare at us. Let's take the trail today and see where it leads." She stops with a sudden thought. "Jask," she asks, "when we found that vine-lady, she was standing on the shore, looking out at the bay. Could she have been looking at ... that?"
"We might as well see where that trail leads. It'd be useful to know what's on the other end before something else comes out of it."
Lorenz pulled his large pack over his shoulders, ready to move off. "As I said yesterday, though, I still want to keep searching the coasts for other shipwrecks. Obviously we can't do that today, but it's something that's important to remember."
Mahjik laughs, and his smile is regaining some of that infectious quality it had a few days ago; "We don't have the luxury to do everything by the book - sometimes it is important to step over conventional wisdom to seek the greater truth beyond. I think I am really close to an epiphany of sorts; and in a way, I think falling sick has helped me get closer to it. I do feel significantly better than before; my head is still slightly slow - but I think I can walk it off. Thank you for your support and consideration, my friend."
"Whatever it is, it's out there in the water somewhere, or maybe on one of the smaller islands. There's no way for us to get to it without a boat. I'm not very good at swimming. Or climbing," she adds, as an afterthought. "I wouldn't mind getting farther away from it, though," she goes on, getting to her feet. "Back to the other side of the island, maybe, or into the jungle where it can't just stare at us. Let's take the trail today and see where it leads." She stops with a sudden thought. "Jask," she asks, "when we found that vine-lady, she was standing on the shore, looking out at the bay. Could she have been looking at ... that?"
"It's possible," Jask says. "It could just be a coincidence, but I'm starting to think very little of what is happening is a coincidence."
In response to Mahjik, he ponders for a moment. "Well, I don't particularly recommend it, but you did all right yesterday and still made improvement. Just don't over-exert yourself."
After eating some breakfast, you gather your things and set out once more to explore the island. As you're leaving, Ishirou is starting to lay some traps around the camp and Jask is preparing to smoke the fish caught yesterday. Aerys takes up a place on guard. Sasha decides to stay at camp today to try and do some more fishing (she's determined to catch some) and help Jask with the smoking. She promises that if the group can get a stockpile of smoked fish, then she'll start coming with the party more frequently. She's also anxious about her egg hatching and doesn't want to be away when it does.
You set out down the beach. The tide is out at the moment, so there's a lot of beach. A little over an hour later, you reach the abandoned camp where you fought the vine lady. You then turn down the trail leading from the camp. The trail starts off in a southeast direction, but very quickly turns to the south. The width of the trail varies a little, but it is generally not very wide. Most of the time, you can only go single-file with just enough room for Soulwind to pass through. Occasionally, the trail widens.
Mahjik takes things a bit slower and more sedated today, so he'll be forming the back of the center; a bit in front of the actual rear guard.