Luthor will move up to H4 and throw a right.
"Get back. I got this one."
Opal flings a fireball at the three harpies with bows, deciding against her usual lightening attacks since the last one didn't seem too effective.
One of the harpies avoids the worst of the flames but the other two eat the full impact. Again, Opal’s spell doesn’t appear fully effective.
One of the spellcasting harpies begins a song but shrieks in frustration as Bjorkus’s bellowing drowns it out.
The others fly in to melee while those further back fire their bows.
Bjorkus is rocked by the giant bird women.
Luthor will give H4 a pair of rights.
Opal growls in frustration as she uses the rod to send a big ball of acid hurtling towards the bow using b&~$~es.
Again, one harpy dodges the blast and two take the full effect. Again, they appear resistant.
Regardless, Opal's magic proves too much and one of the giant harpies plummets from the sky.
Battered and angry, Bjorkus brings his wrath down on the adjacent harpies.
Luthor's continued assault leaves one harpy staggering and the raging bull's trident drops another.
The archer harpies shriek in frustration at Opal's superior firepower and fly closer to rain unholy power down on the defenders.
Luthor will 5 foot to the left and continue pounding on H4.
Opal will fling one last ball of acid at the bow wielding harpies if it looks like they took full damage from the last one.
Despite bleeding heavily, Bjorkus continues his attack.
Opal's lightning ball drops one of the harpies harrying Luthor and the brawler's knuckles bludgeon another badly.
The harpies close in to finish off the wounded defenders. Their claws drip with deadly poison.
Bjorkus's song hits a crescendo giving Luthor the will to fight off the poison.
The bull steps over and finishes off the harpy that touched him.
Opal takes 5 ft step back and drops a fireball right behind the harpies in front of her.
Opal's well placed ball of lightning engulfs the remaining harpies and drops them from the sky.
The crew lowers their crossbows and cheers.
"The fort is ours!"
Luthor cheers along with the rest of the crew as the last harpy drops.
"Great job, now let's get to preparing the feast."
Luthor's trip through the jungle is quiet and feels noticeably safer since the party arrived those short two weeks ago.
Arriving at the spring, Luthor finds the beautiful water fey sunbathing.
"Oh", she says in mock surprise.
"My neighbors have returned."
"Yea. We're havin a feast for the pirate lords and we'd like your help. And you can partake if you want to afterwards."
"A feast? And I'm invited? How exciting!" the pale-skinned fey says with excitement.
"Of course I'll help - that's what neighbors are for. I'll make sure the animals stay out of the way for your guests and don't cause any trouble."
"That works for me."
The next few weeks are uneventful as the contractor wizard Luthor hired and his workers begin construction on the ruined fortress making it suitable for a group of pirate lords and their crew. A few days before the date of the feast, a ship from Quent arrives with a group of Calistran acolytes aboard. A taldan woman, Audessa Reyquio, is in charge of the group and she quickly works with her peers to organize shifts and duties.
In addition, at some point, a trip is made back to Quent in order to sell/buy equipment.
In the final few days of preparation for the feast, Kal does a lap around the island to relax and quickly notices that Sefina has made good on her promise and all of the large dangerous sealife seems to have moved a respectable distance away.
Near the northern end of the island he spots the entrance to an underwater cavern. What wonders could be inside….
Kal glances around to see if it seems inhabited, then swims inside!
The cavern narrows quickly and soon there's barely enough room to move.
Kal’s keen senses and intuition help him navigate the dark cramp caverns and after several minutes he escapes out of an opening on another side of the island.
On the way out he spots an alcove where the walls are literally crawling with vicious swarms of crabs.
Kal edges just close enough to the crabs to try to see what they're crawling over, crooning softly at them to let them know he's not a threat.
It appears that the crabs aren't crawling over anything in particular, just looking for food. If Kal had been less careful he could have easily swam into a swarm of them on accident.
The young man shrugs to himself and swims back to the ship, glad to have found a nice way to get from one side of the island to the other. It could come in handy...
Alhazrah's lead pans out and the group is easily able to overcome the Jester's Grin and capture her stores of high quality rum. After arranging to have a large quantity of meats, grain, and other cooking supplies brought in, the officers and their crew spend the rest of the three weeks seeing to clean up of the island.
When the wizard and his workers are done, the results are a sight to behold. The ruined crumbling fortress is once again whole, standing tall and strong. A pair of ballista sit atop its walls aimed out at the bay, a warning to any would-be invaders. Sturdy reinforced docks have been built alongside it, providing a place for the Raging Storm, the Sanbalot, and the soon to arrive guests to sit at rest.
***
The day of the feast, three ships arrive offshore and drop anchor, clearly identifiable by the flags flying from their mastheads. The first is the two-masted brig Blood Moon, flagship of Avimar Sorrinash, lord of Ollo. The second is the galley Come What May, vessel of Lady Cerise Bloodmourn. Finally, the frigate Wavecrestflies the banner of Captain Mase Darimar. Boats are lowered into the water from the three ships and head for shore, their passengers surveying the harbor and port with measured, discerning eyes.
Not long after them, the rest of the guests arrive. Among them are Tessa Fairwind and the Master of Gales in addition to nearing a hundred other powerful and influential pirates and their crew. Soon the harbor and the fort is alive with activity.
Once on shore Tessa makes a beeline for the party with the Master of Gales and three strangers in tow.
"It looks like you've done a fine job", the pirate queen says with a smirk. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
"I trust the rumors of the island's lack of inhabitants were true", the grizzled Master of Gales follows with a tone that says he already knows the truth.
"You'll have to tell us all about it tonight", Tessa fires back with a laugh. "Let me introduce you to your guests of honor -representatives sent by the Coucil."
The fair-haired pirate queen gestures to a tall powerfully built kellid man with long dark hair and a pair of deadly axes strapped to his hip.
"This is Avimar Sorrinash, captain of the Blood Moon."
The burly swarthy-skinned pirate grunts and nods in greeting.
Tessa takes a step and gestures to a beautiful taldan woman with a tall tricorn and flowing golden locks.
"Next is Lady Cerise Bloodmourn, captain of the Come What May."
Tessa gives her fellow pirate queen a wink and Cerise returns the expression with a grin before offering a curtsy.
"It's nice to finally meet all of you. Tess talks about you all the time. I'm looking forward to seeing if the stories are true."
Tessa laughs and gestures to the last of the trio of special guests, a lean half-elf/half-mwangi man with pale green hair.
"Last is Captain Mase Darimar, captain of the Wavecrest."
The half-elf smiles and reaches for Opal's hand to give it a kiss.
"You honor us with your hospitality", he says in a silky voice.
Opal smiles and gives a little curtsey to the captain who laid a kiss upon her hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all and we hope you will enjoy the food and festivities provided."
When her hand is released, Opal turns and introduces her comrades, starting with Captain Chubwart of course and ending with herself. She will then continue to play hostess and escort the group over to the feasting area.
"I find that stories go so much better on a full stomach and with a good drink. Please have a seat and enjoy the food."
Opal's attention is well received and the group of VIPs (very important pirates) are suitably grateful as Opal leads them over to the fortress yard where tables are set for the feast. Once Opal gets them inside, Audessa takes over and shows the trio to their seats.
"Very well done", Tessa says with a grin and a wink at Opal. "I don't think I could have done much better myself."
"There's one more person I want you all to meet", she says as she gestures toward an elven man waiting quietly near the docks.
The elven man looks about a bit nervously, sizing up each of the crew as he approaches, smoothing stray, wild hairs as best he can. Like many who travel on ships, his hair is a tangle of wind swept pieces held back by a bandana tied around his forehead and secured with a strip of metal studded leather. His only real surprised look comes when he reaches the group, apparently having not seen too many minotaurs in his ocean career. Clearing his throat, he grins, showing a number of teeth that don't rightfully belong to be his. "Zirul here."
The young elf seems to bear exceptionally long, spindly arms beneath a sea stained chain shirt and a pair of leather boots over his breeches, the former almost reaching his knees. Small vials adorn the belts along his waist. His brown eyes sparkle with an intention to take in all of the surroundings. His ski, though scarred in a multitude of places, is still the color of a nicely stained ship's deck.
His only weapons appear to be a utilitarian rapier & old dusty longbow.
Tessa smiles at the newcomer and then the party.
”This is Zirul, he’s a talented surgeon and alchemist. He came into my employ only a few months ago but I quickly recognized that his talent was going to waste serving on my crew.”
The pirate queen looks to Luthor and Chubwart.
”Captain Chubwart, Captain Stone, I’d like to ask you take him aboard as a member of your crew. As I understand it, neither of your ships have a dedicated surgeon and if the business with Cheliax is as bad as it sounds, you’re going to need all of the skilled hands you can get. “
Bjorkus snorts and cautiously offers the half-elf a massive furry paw as he studies him.
”And you’re sure we can trust him?” the minotaur asks with a rumble. ”The Shackles seems to be crawlin’ with devil-lovin’ spies these days.”
"He looks to be alright to me. And besides, if he turns out to be a spy, we can always keel haul him. We could use a good surgeon anyhow, seeing that we get pummeled. Welcome aboard." Luthor reaches out to shake his hand.
Kal nods somewhat reservedly at the newcomer, studying the elf intently. A surgeon carrying a rapier... interesting. There's more to this one than Tessa's telling, or I'm a squid's uncle.
Tess nods.
”Trust me Bjorkus, after the business we've been involved in, I do a thorough background check on everyone that gets involved with my ship and her crew. Some are lucky enough to get a very thorough check…” she says with a wink at the bull.
”What do you think Zirul? I told you they were an eyeful.”
"The only good devil or demon is a dead one. It one bound for study. But that's far too dangerous for most ships. I've never seen a surgeon's galley, so I doubt there'll ever be a use for a devil on any ship you'll ever seen me near. Shackles native, actually. Borne and raised. You know that war between the land lubber gangs a number of years back? I was in that." He shakes each hand in turn, raising his shirt up to show what looks to be a skin graft on the left side of his chest, running from his ribs almost up to his shoulder. Then, just as quickly, the shirt and clothes beneath are lowered back into place.
His grin widens. "Oh, I definitely will be able to keep you all alive and healthy. A good bit of surgery is knowing when NOT to cut, as much as when. I also dabble in the more liquid sciences as well..." He pats his large backpack with a growing smile, obviously in control of his technical know-how.
Taking a second look at the group, he points to each. "Bjorkus, the pirate with a harem almost as large as his stature. Opal, chef exotique. Kal, the oceans's friend. And the fire blooded Ulfen with stone fists, Luthor. Of course, we cannot forget Captain Chubwart, the fiercest teeth in the ocean."
Bjorkus snorts again as he shakes the half-elf’s hand.
”Your boy’s sharp”, the bull offers with a nod at Tessa. ”Welcome aboard.”
"That he is." Luthor chuckles.
"Sharp mind, sharper scalpels." He grins again. "It's my pleasure. Anywhere that I can start setting up for an my lab? Never seen either of the ships, but I figure, if I'm going to start making sure we all stay well and alive, I'm gonna need to set up a lab for my chemicals, at least a small distance from where I treat patients."
He strokes his hair-free chin for a smattering of moments, as he ponders the why. "Just in case something were to go wrong, or if someone were to sabotage it."
Bjorkus points toward the fortress.
"There's lots of rooms inside. We'll set you up on one of the ships after this whole mess is done", the minotaur explains.
"You're not gunna blow up the ship... right?"
He smirks, the grin remaining on his lips. "Nope. Not intent on the explosives side of things. They're too imprecise. It's a science, what I do. Too many variables in explosives...But chemicals..." He swiftly moves to a different topic. "It's just that some of the chemicals I deal with can be...quite toxic, in the wrong hands. Or in most hands, in general."
He is obviously beginning to ramble.
"Just..once we get it set up, I'd prefer anyone without real experience with the chemicals or without an interest in alchemy...it'd be best if they keep their distance or stay out, because there's just a ton of variables that we DON'T want people touching."
He stops after just a few moments and blinks, realizing he just got a piece of info in the middle of his train of thought. "And to make sure I properly factor it all...What sort of mess are we looking at?"