if they slay you they will no doubt take your blade too; stay in the fight, damn you! Xantrius ordered, mixing magic and his powerful force of personality into his words.
Round 4
Nakon continues his relentless assault on the creature seeking to end the fight.
(flag)
Sevien moves up drawing his mace and tries to distract the creature for Nakon.
Sevien steps forward with his mace taking the ghoul by surprise. It turns to avoid him and while distracted it is smashed violently by Nakon's cutlass, a wide sweep that shatters bone and liquefies flesh. The creature collapses to the ground and all is still apart from the buzzing of flies that hover lazily about the corpses.
Pity we had to destroy all of them. I have been working on how to enslave them using my powers. Asmodeus can grant me the power over the undead. We should find out if there are any clues to our missing crew members here.
Mata, do you need healing? I have one spell left.
Not even the threat to his sword breaks him out of his inaction.
Among the piles of revealing clothing inside the tent are a pungent silvery liquid in a leather hip flask depicting a crocodile, three very sharp, oft-used daggers, a chest containing six flasks of alchemist’s fire, two barrels of very cheap smelling perfume, a wedding dress inlaid with pearls and set with three tiny rubies, a whalebone corset set with mother-of-pearl inlays, a dozen silver hatpins set with tiny obsidians, scattered gems, 56 gp, and 97 sp. By the time you've collected everything, Mata has regained the power to move and the sun has fallen behind the trees bringing forth an early dusk. The path continues onwards as well as back the way you've come.
Nakon shares a glance for the frozen Mata before wiping off his blade and investigating the tent. The half-orc will either recover or he won't.
Inside he grins as the loot is discovered although he leaves it for Xantrius to disburse, the shaman sweeping the corners to ensure nothing is left.
Ghouls spread disease...and you are probably infected. I will have to keep an eye on you for the next couple of days and help clean your wounds, we don't want you turning into a ghoul, that is for lesser creatures who have no worth.
Disease's save DC 12
Captain, we should divy up the alchemists fire, it can be useful. Also I am out of healing, do we want to rest or continue on?
Xantrius patted Sevien on the back.
All in good time my friend. See to Mata.
The loot taken was bagged but not yet divided, other than the vials of alchemist fire. 1 was given to each of the senior officers and Xantrius himself, with an additional 1 given to Mata and Nakon.
The high pitched whine of insects increases with the oncoming twilight. You feel mosquitoes brush against your face as you move about the rotting camp and the stench settles like a miasma about you all.
During your travels, Nakon has found and collected some berries, small and stingy, but not poisonous and fit enough for his purpose. He also estimates that you are more than halfway through the swamp. To leave, it may take less time to go forward than back, though the dangers ahead are unknown.
"The men are going to have to be pumping through the night, we should press on so we can get back sooner and give them a hand." Mata says "And thanks. What were those things and how do you protect your self?"
Sevien will sweep the treasure with detect magic.
They were ghouls. Undead beasts that create other ghouls by spreading the disease I mentioned. The only protection is a strong resistance, or not getting hit by them. If we encounter more we should try to bring one or more of them down from a distance.
So continue on? Keep in mind I have no healing left other than a scroll and any potions you have on you.
The only magical item Sevien detects amongst their gains is the pungent silvery liquid in the leather hip flask.
Mata looks at the captain "Onwards or backwords?"
Can anyone make a case for continuing on while our ship remains in peril? Xantrius asked bluntly. Are we likely to find anything that will assist in our situation?
"The reason we came was because there were tracks going this way which might have belonged to one of our missing crew members. But given we haven't found them and discussing stay the night here I suggest getting the boat on dry land and soming looking again after that might be wiser cause of action. If we he back to the ship we should see if there is any frest water or anything edible to bring back. Given a good night's sleep I can remember some spells that might help repair the ship more quickly. Thinking about it, captain you might want to share around that hammock around the crew is going to need get ther best sleep in the shortest time until the ship is safe."
From his expression Nakon seems to be juggling a desire for more carnage against a need to return to the sea. In the grip of both he seems happy enough to let Xantrius decide their course.
I think we have to make landing the ship our top priority. The tracks will keep, I hope. Spreading around the hammock is a fine idea. We'll explore and send another rescue party once we've got her on land for repairs.
Something took two of our crew and went this way. he points for effect.
What is to say whatever it was won't return and take more of our crew? If they took crew members, it probably wasn't some random monster so once they have had their fill or whatever they plan to do with them I expect they will return.
If we just leave them to their fate...the crew's morale will suffer Captain and we will have lost two crew members, one who has value.
Can we even sail the ship without them, we were manning a skeleton crew before we lost them?
If we go back I think we should check on the boat and make all haste to pick the trail back up and attempt to recover them. Was their any indication were the ghouls came from? It is odd they were dressed so.
Sevien will have a quick look at what we recovered to see if there is any clue as to the origin or background for these ghouls.
They didn't seem native to an island by their dresses so I am guessing that another boat may have crashed on this island as well. If there is another boat we could use it to help repair ours.
There is probably another Ghoul that created these around here somewhere though.
None of that matters if we don't have a ship to sail, Sevien... How long do we think it will take to get the boat on land? The crew will understand- that we are putting their needs before two who may already be dead. We can resume the search as soon as we're done.
Sevien shrugs his shoulder, I am no shipwright, I would be surprised if we can even get the ship off the reef without just repairing it in place.
Inside the tent Sevien finds more rotting human remains, a huge pile of filthy clothes, and a vast bed of moldering cushions at the base of the tree. Clouds of flies dance above the decay.
The trip back to the Devil Shark seems to take forever. The sun sets completely as you carefully pass the mire and its previous occupants. The going is slow and difficult through the darkness and on more than one occasion what you take to be the track is actually a dead end that either vanishes into scrub or mud. It's a welcome relief to emerge on the beach with the waves crashing rythmically against the sands and the bright stars blazing in the sky above you.
The collapsed mud huts stand in eerie silence as you pass them to your jolly boat. A tired cheer goes up from the crew when you finally climb aboard the Devil Shark once more. The repairs have gone well but it will still be a another day before any attempt can be made to refloat the ship. The rising tide undid much of the work done to pump out the hold but with constant pumping and some repairs the Devil Shark stayed afloat. If she doesn't sink, the high tide could be very useful trying to refloat her.
Having had no rest since the storm, many of the crew are practically falling asleep on their feet. With no water aboard the ship, Ambrose has dished out an extra rum ration for those who request it. The small rabble of pirates press in around you, swaying slightly and bending their ears towards you.
Will switch out Stabilize for Create Water tonight. The next morning I will make sure there is enough water for the crew and us.
We should set watches to make sure nothing tries to come back tonight.
"Agreed, I'll take first shift on the pumps if I can get 8 hours sleep or the equivalent in you hammock" Mata offers
Apart from those in the captain's hammock most of you have a restless night's sleep. Nonetheless, you're all feeling much better as the sun edges over the horizon next morning. The cool night air quickly gives way to the hot sun beating down out of a cloudless sky, baking the nearby island, your ship and your crew.
The crew are amazingly grateful to Sevien for the water he produces and drink thirstily. None drink more than those who have been on the pumps over the previous day, trying to keep the Devil Shark from meeting a crushing end on the reef.
News of Mata's work on the pumps spreads throughout the ship and he gets greeted next morning with respectful nods for his part in aiding the common crew with the basest of jobs.
Mata spends the first hour after waking re-memorising spells.
Once completed he'll set about getting the ship repaired enough to get it a shore burning through the three crafter's fortunes to give a +9 on craft ship rolls (+11 if he can find tools)
Xantrius assisted, using his Mending cantrip to help with the repairs.
Nakon keeps a wary eye on the shore while he applies his brute strength to whatever needs doing around the ship, the bigman pitching in with the crew and exhorting them to greater efforts through sheer physical presence.
With the use of magic from Mata and Xantrius, work on the hull of the ship goes quickly throughout the day despite the fact that only a single set of tools can be scrounged together. Narwhal grudgingly accepts Mata's Crafter's Fortune spell upon him, as does Tilly Bracket and work continues apace with an unaccustomed smoothness. The hold doors are butchered for wood and used to build a screen about the hole from which water can be pumped out. The wood is then used to gradually close the hole in the hull of the Devil Shark while the reef protruding inside the ship is gradually chipped away. Narwhal proves invaluable throughout the complex process, but short tempered at the inadequacy of others to turn his vision into a reality. In the confines of the hold, with blistering heat and inadequate tools you manage to patch up the hole as best as possible. It won't do for a permanent repair, but should last a week or two.
The real test comes in the late afternoon as the tide rises - trying to float the ship off the reef while not smashing her any more against the rough rocky shelves.
When it cimes time to refloat the ship he'll head down into the bilges and pump the water out to lift them off the coral and once they are away let. some water back in the stablise them.
Sevien coordinates parts of the crew to help Xantrius float the ship as the tide rises.
Nakon leads the charge to re-float the ship, the big man has most of his body leaning over the side as he times the crew's efforts with the even flow of the waves.
(guidance)
You manage to catch the evening tide as the sun sets and turns the horizon to brilliant shades of liquid gold.
As the tide rises, Mata, Maheem and Rosie are able to man the bilges and stop water rushing back into the hold. When the final piece of coral is hacked away the ship almost jumps up onto the tide.
Sevien is ready with Xantrius and the crew and as the boat jerks free all buzz around the sails to catch the strong breeze and drive the craft back from the reef.
Nakon holds the wheel steady and swings it with strong, even turns to guide the ship, backwards even, past a shoal that must have been almost jumped over during the storm. As the ship grinds over the reef and the sails CRACK with the captured breeze, a tired cheer goes up from the crew as you yank yourselves free of the reef at last. You guide the ship to deeper waters in the lee of the island, then drop anchor as night falls upon your exhausted crew.
In the morning I would like to go after our missing crew members captain.
What do you think about sailing around the island to get a better idea of what we are dealing with? Maybe we will see some structures from the water on the other side that may lead to them?
In any case we should set watches tonight in case whatever took them comes back.
Aye Nakon grunts, you think in response to Sevien's last statement.
Excellent work all... Xantrius said to the assembled crew after the feat. You have done well; I think a day of rest will be quite the thing tomorrow for you all, while I lead a team ashore to seek our missing crew. Maintain a vigil, however; we don't know what threats the land and sea in this strange place might have for us.
"Yes captain." Mata goes and gets his spell book and starts to prepare assuming he will be going with the captain.
The crew are thrilled at the news of a rest day after their continuous work to prevent the boat from sinking and provide some repairs.
Ambrose cooks up some extra meat for dinner and the crew eat heartily and joke and trade stories about the horrific storm and the trials of the last few days. Some take the chance to drink themselves to sleep with the knowledge of no work the next day but, surprisingly, Ambrose Kroop is not one of them.
The next morning the sun glides over the eastern sea, turning it gold and silver before breaching the horizon and beginning the long day's journey. The ship is still quiet and the sea as smooth as glass by the time your small band rows back to the deserted beach once more. The trip takes almost twice as long as before as you fight some strong currents and the extra distance to shore in the jolly boat.
Nakon takes the lead, again apparently balancing some unease from being on land versus the desire for combat.
Somewhat absently he studies the beach for fresh tracks, running his bare whole foot through the sand.
(guidance)
Lets go back to our last point, unless you see something new here?
With the morning sun overhead, the swamp looks very different from the late afternoon of two days ago. Still, Nakon effortlessly picks out the path you formerly used to travel through the swamp. The mire where the frogs attacked is bristling with life and insects, thought they seem to avoid the area where Sevien stood to cast forth his negative energy.
Further down the twisting track you arrive once more at the whores' boudoir. Either the stench has grown worse in the past day or time has dulled your memory of how truly rancid this area was. Clouds of large fat bloated mosquitoes part way for you as you move quickly through the area. The bodies lie where you left them apparently untouched by the usual carrion eaters. But without the dark energies to keep the creatures animated, parts of them have started to liquefy already leaving small pools that are thick with more mosquitoes. Nakon advises against slowing, realising that should the mosquitoes pay too much attention to you, you could end up facing an unholy swarm of foul mosquitoes eager for warmer bloods.
Mata rubs unconsciously at the scratch he took only a few days ago and remembers the filth that infected him before Sevien's attention to his wound.
Mata circles the bodies and heads to the other side of the island and looks for a way to cross the rest of the swamp and signs of more frogs.
Sevien will attempts to help the others pick up their tracks.
The pathway winds beyond the foulness and soon you find yourselves back in the regular stench of the swamp. You follow the thin sandy trail between still pools of dank water and around small clearings that look just like solid sand, but aren't. It's less than another half hour when the grey sand and mud suddenly give way to white sand and three steps later you find yourselves out of the swamp. Towering palm trees stretch along a white sand beach for a mile or so, each around 50 feet high and crowned with a wide canopy of palms brimming with coconuts, which also litter the ground under various trees. If it weren't for the smell that seems to have clung to you, the idyllic view ahead could easily make you forget the foul swamp behind.
To your right, beyond the palms, the jungle thickens up to the mountain's ridge and ahead the path vanishes onto the untouched pristine beach.
"See any tracks?" Mata asks as he proceeds down the beach.
Nakon holds his face up to catch the sun for a moments before speaking an incantation and again looking for tracks.
(guidance)
Nakon realises quickly that many of the divets across the beach are the result of animals. A closer inspection reveals small crab claw prints, and indeed he sees several coconut crabs as they make their way away from you all or bury themselves to hide beneath the warm sands.
Just as he is about to turn back to the others, Nakon notices more crab tracks but these are of excessive size. They lead to a large palm tree nearby, under which he notes something has shattered several coconuts.
Nakon brightens at the prospect of combat although he spares a quick glance to the captain before starting a quick incantation and starting off toward the palm tree.