Once the battle is done, Rhialla walks over to Es, taking a look at her wound. "Oooh, that looks painful." she says, resting her hand on the wound and casting a healing spell. Looking down at the torn blouse, she smirks. "I'm as big a fan of shirtlessness as the next girl... probably a lot more actually...but that is a cute shirt." she says running her fingertips along the torn edges, and using a bit of minor magic to restore the fabric fully.
-----------------------------------
Once the construction materials are set, and basic repairs underway, Rhialla gathers them all together. "So, do we want to take a dive and check out the sunken wreck for anything useful, and maybe clues to the wizard's findings, or work on clearing more of the island?"
"If we're diving, I'll want to prepare in advance so that I can deploy spells to help everyone with swimming," says Cassiopeia. "Forging further inland sounds like a good idea, we are more likely to have stuff crawling out of the jungles to attack our little coastal port here than stuff crawling up from the shipwreck out past the shoreline."
"Very valid point. Better to deal with the likely threats right next to us...and find out if we have any more interesting neighbors, before we get too comfortable."
"Cap'n's discretion. I do have a wetsuit."
"Right?!" Esmarelda agreed with Rhlalla as she healed her up, what she didn't expect was the woman to fix her shirt up as well. "Well, would you look at that!" Esmarelda said with a grin. "I owe you one Rhlalla."
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"I've a feeling we're going to be fighting things no matter which we choose." Esmarelda commented. "I mean everything is going to try and kill you because, well it is the Shackles..." she chuckled slightly. "If we go to the land though we can bring more food back, I mean we could do that in the sea as well the land is just easier."
Ashlei spins and tosses a dagger in the air, catching it easily as she frowns.
“I hate swimming. Let’s go hunt cyclopes.. I need to kill something more than big lizards… are they edible? I will go talk to the cook about butchering the carcass’s and see if they taste like chicken.”
You slog through the thick, humid jungle of the peninsular until you swing back to the higher ground behind the fort.
C. HARPY CAVES
Rocky hills and ridges rise from this elevated plateau. No trails
provide access to its lofty heights, though a 90-foot-high waterfall descends from its northern face.
You can see several winged figures in the air, they seem to be aware of you and preparing to attack.
They look much larger than the standard Harpy though?
Currently several hundred feet away forming up to attack. What are you doing?
Moving to the treeline as the Captain orders. She frowns as she pulls out a tanglefoot bag while she moves and readies it to throw!
"Of course they can fly! What I wouldn't give for a decent scorpion from the ship right now..."
"Here, let's even the odds."
Cassiopeia casts fly on Ashlei.
.
Racing over to stand beside Percy, Rhialla begins to cast a spell, reaching out to touch her lover's shoulder, and sending the frightening strength of a great sea monster into him. "Skewer the first one that dares get close, love!"
Esmarelda joined the others weapons at the ready. "You know I'm starting to think I'm going to need to pick up something to actually hit flying things huh?"
"Might not be a bad idea, we need to get you a crossbow or something." Rhialla comments.
"Or I could just make everyone some flying magic items."
"That would be even better!"
Ashlei seems to smile broadly at Cassiopeia's suggestion, and quietly lifts her feet off the ground and floats upward into the deepest and darkest part of the trees overhead of the group.
Unlike normal Harpies these are giantsized, have only one cyclopian eye and have red skin? Before they attack you they attempt to enthrall you with their captivating song.
.
Ashlei sneers at the gods-damned awful noise the weird harpies begin making...
Rhialla smirks at the dichotomy of the massive, terrifying, harpies being able to perform such beautiful music. Not that the magic of it had any effect, but it was lovely nonetheless.
Cassiopeia is enthralled because of course she is and mindlessly moves to her death.
Esmarelda & Cassiopeia move forward towards the Harpies blindly. The Harpies shriek with delight and lust. They move closer, most seem to be eyeing Percy as the most desirable prize.
.
Those who are still thinking. What are you doing?
Cursing loudly as Es and Cass begin walking toward the harpies, Rhialla round to stand between them, casting a spell as she sprinkles silver dust in a circle and touches them both.
Ashlei flies at the closest, throwing a dagger from her magical belt.
ATTACK(Thrown Dagger!)
Even with aid given the magic upon Esmarelda had firmly grabbed hold.
Ashlei wounds Red who shrieks in fury.
Red, Orange & Yellow perform Flyby attacks on the party.
The other Harpies don't attack, seeming content to sadistically prolong your suffering.
The party can now act.
.
Enthralled, Cassiopeia stands there in her ripped bodice.
The air near Ashlei's waist 'whines' suddenly and her thrown dagger reappears on her magical belt. Spinning in midair and drifting back a bit, Ashlei smirks and takes the tanglefoot bag she grabbed earlier and tosses it at the harpy-thing that tried to hit her.
"Eat me b+%*&!"
She then quick-draws her starknife and readies herself for another attack.
Glaring angrily at the harpies as they hover, grinning at what the believe to be easy prey, Rhialla makes a gesture, calling a column of divine fire blasting down on the demon harpy in the middle.
You slaughter the attacking three and the others shriek in rage, quickly retreating back up the the top of the plateau where you cannot follow.
.
Examining the dead reveals Harpies that have crossbred with Cyclops and seem to have Fiendish traits added to the mix?
For now they seem content to avoid you and plot their revenge.
"Well, we definitely need to mark this area off as the hunting grounds for giant demon harpies." Rhialla quips. "When we pass through here again, we'll need to be better equipped for an aerial fight."
|
"Sorry bout the top Cass... was trying to keep you from running into their arms and missed... cant say the view is bad though I guess I owe you come new clothing...
He muttered looking at the distane to the harpys resting spot...
"Lets keep moving... definitely something we need to eliminate if we want our own thriving port later eh?
Ashlei cleans her bloody dagger in the sand.
"Or exploit them somehow. They must be semi-intelligent. Maybe we can parley with them in order to gain a tactical advantage? Like...an aerial watch-post? We give them gewgaws and minor treasure...and let them live here mostly unmolested...and they report the approach of any large creature or ship to our base here. Assuming the creatures are smart enough to keep such an agreement. We would have to pacify most of the island to get them to pay attention probably."
Esmarelda rubbed her eyes as she snapped out of it.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the stories we sailors have is about them eating people... So while we might be able to strike a deal it very well might be in literal pounds of flesh." Esmarelda pointed out. "Just saying..."
You move on.
D. DINOSAUR CORRAL
A giant-sized corral sits on the eastern shore of a large lake. Several of the corral's beams, each one the size of an entire tree, lie broken and smashed on the ground. Massive footprints from some heavy beast have long
since dried in the muddy pasture.
The cyclopes of Sumitha kept several herbivorous dinosaurs as livestock here, constructing this massive stockade in the lowlands where they could herd and butcher them. With the dinosaurs mostly hunted to extinction now, the corral sits abandoned and in disrepair.
A pair of triceratopses grazes nearby. Part of a small herd, they have repeatedly fought off cyclops hunters, and regard any humanoids as dangerous intruders in their habitat. They are watching you suspiciously.
What now?
Ashlei stares at the big saurians.
“That’s a LOT of meat. Maybe we should think about a beach barbecue at some point in the future? Just saying…”
Once the harpies are dead and Cass is released from their enchantment, she shakes her head for a moment, then sourly regards her torn garment. She tries to pull part of it up and tie it back into place but the rip makes it impossible to do so, and she sighs angrily.
"Of course I don't have the magic to mend this today. Fine."
She regards the dinosaurs with some curiosity. "These must've been livestock for the cyclopes, large enough to provide a serious side of meat for the giants. I would prefer to just leave them alone."
"I've got you Cass." Rhialla says, running her fingers along the toorn fabric as it knits itself back to its former fine structure.
"Can't see the harm in leaving them alone for now. If they're hostile to intruders, then we're not likely to have anyone to worry about around here."
"That looks like something that needs to cook way too long to be eaten easily." Esmarelda expressed as she crossed her arms. "But with something like that, I think I'd need a red wine..."
"Could you even dig a deep enough hole to smoke the whole thing? Is the top flesh even eatable? Or are we talking like beef and the hide needs to be removed?" She continued curiously. "I've so many question I want answers to but, Rhialla is correct, not right now..."
"Thank you," says Cassiopeia. "I wasn't relishing the idea of running through dinosaur-festooned jungles with everything hanging out."
"As for butchering those saurians, my fabricate spell can reduce a cadaver to its useful components quite quickly, if we are of a mind to bring back a huge dino-steak on our return."