"Right, right, Bartock'll be here or there or out in th' lighthouse," the man nods sagely. "Ye just come back any old time an' we'll do business, we will!"
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Satisfied that you've learned everything you can from Bartock and noting that the sun is slowly dipping towards the horizon, you make your way back up and over the rocks and down to the other side where you see the one called Gervus waiting for you next to his rowboat. A strangely hunched man, Gervus carries the distinctive look of the villagers of Blackcove; his skin is pallid and waxy, his dark, thin hair recedes into a sharp widow’s peak, and his brow furrows deeply, showing only the faintest wisps of eyebrows. The man might have been uniquely handsome once, with a wide, toothy grin and large eyes, but the harsh environment has taken its toll.
"Howdy folks," he grins amiably as you approach. "Lira said there'd be others needing a ride and all. Can't say that I blame you; these waters are infatuated with sharks, the apprehensible beasts. And the sharp rocks can be lecherous."
He gestures towards the boat, inviting everyone to climb inside. Though it's obviously seen a lot of use it also seems to have been fairly well cared for and appears sturdier than you might've expected.
"Help? Why it's mighty healthful of you but I'll be fine," Gervus replies to McKieg with a wave and a smile. "I've been doing this for years and the waves aren't all that incestuous yet so it won't be any trouble to take you across."
As you study Gervus and consider his...odd...word choices, a quote from a novel you once read springs to mind: 'You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.'
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Luurg smiles and introduces himself "Hey dare mang, I'mma Luurg. Tanks fer da ride." He waits to help the others enter the boat then pushes it off of the beach and hops in.
"So is da whole town out in da bright house? Must be ass ta elbow in dare!" He laughs, his round belly rippling inside his mithril breast plate to produce an odd sound... almost like surf on the beach.
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Gervus seems to be legitimately friendly and untouched by the craziness that colors Bartock's words. But, ah...in regards to his word choices you recall a quote from a fairly popular novel that you once read: 'You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means'.
You suspect that he's read these words elsewhere but doesn't quite know what they all mean - hence the inappropriate usages.
"Aye, what's left of us," Gervus nods, his grin faltering slightly as he's forced to consider Luurg's question. "And you're right, it's pretty cramped in there...but nothing we can't handle, at least for a little while."
Once everyone else is seated, Gervus and Luurg give the rowboat a bit of a running push into the surf before hopping aboard themselves, kicking up some water in their wake.
"Much obliged, Mister Luurg," Gervus thanks the burly half-orc as he settles in and grabs the oars. "You seem like you know your way around a boat, at least a little bit! That's pretty rare to see in outsiders - nothing personable."
When Sheela begins to sing it seems nearly all Gervus can do to keep himself focused on rowing, so delighted is he by her singing voice. "Well now, I haven't heard a tune so pretty since I was a little fellow! My ma used to sing when she went about her chores, you know, and all of us - me and my kibblings - would stop to listen when she wasn't looking. Your voice reminds me of hers, Miss...?"
Gervus waits a moment for Sheela's name and smiles as he continues rowing. "That's a lovely name, Miss Sheela. Sea shanties? Well, let's see...some aren't really fit for the ears of ladyfolk but I know one that you all might like..."
~The Diamond is a ship, my lads, for the Davis Strait she’s bound,
And the quay it is all garnished with bonny lasses ’round;
Captain Thompson gives the order to sail the ocean wide,
Where the sun it never sets, my lads, no darkness dims the sky,
So it’s cheer up my lads, let your hearts never fail,
While the bonny ship, the Diamond, goes a-fishing for the whale~
While Gervus' own singing voice is nothing spectacular, it does have an earnest quality to it that is pleasant to the ear.
"How's that? That one's always been one of my favorites," your escort remarks as he continues to guide the boat out towards the lighthouse. He falls silent for a beat and then, as if unable to hold back any further, blurts out, "So you're here to give us some insistence, is that right? Lira made it sound like you are."
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"Maybe more like assistance." Sheela replies. "That was a lovely tune, by the way. It's fun to watch sailors think up a polite shanties." She chuckles.
"But yes, one man by the name of Alder asked us to give the town a hand. All of our attempts to find out what exactly is going on have led to one area: The Lighthouse. Do you know what's going on?"
Gervus sighs heavily. "Normally we don't talk about our problems with outsiders but this one seems like it's going to get the best of us if we don't have some help," he admits. "There have been attacks by strange, licentious beasts from the debts of the sea, you see. They take people and vanish...so the ones of us still here fear for our lives."
He glances up at the approaching lighthouse. "That's why everyone that's left decided to congeal themselves inside the lighthouse. It seemed like the safest place to go."
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Luurg smiles and nods, being very literate in idiot speak, or at least in his case broken common speak. "Yessir mang, Luurg here ta help. Luurg n his friends, we Pathfinders, n Pathfinders help peoples!" He pulls out his wayfinder and flashes the light function a few times and shows the man the cool compass feature. It takes him a few tries with his fat fingers pushing the light button on accident. "Whoopsie. Sorry mang."
"Nobody gunna try to eat us in that bright house right? Turn us into sushi or sumpting? Sum of us skerd of being 'etted." He distinctly keeps from looking in Tiffany's direction.
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Adyr is back from this moodiness.
"Again... creatures from the deep. This sounds like something that CAN be resolved with steel. We use the remaining townspeople as bait... er, I mean PROTECT them all in one place until the creatures come back and give them a few dozen of these." Adyr taps his quiver of arrows.
Looking at McKieg, "First things first... I know they SAID the lighthouse only has one way in and out... but if we are going to be planning an ambush, we had better make certain there isn't another way in or out!"
"Eat you!? No, no, of course not," Gervus is quick to respond, looking rather appalled at the idea. "Is that a common disturbance where you're from? And I thought we had troubles..."
Shaking his head, he puts in a few more strokes of the oars and brings his rowboat smoothly alongside a small landing near the base of the lighthouse.
"Alrighty, here we are! Watch your step, it's a bit slippery," Gervus cautions as he ties up the boat and begins helping everyone climb out. "I think that's everyone but I'll wait out here for a few more minutes in case anyone's running behind. Go on in, I'm sure Lira's told everyone to be expecting company."
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McKieg nods, "Adyr's right about the need for caution. We should check the building's perimeter first, before we enter. The island's quite small. Shouldn't take long."
Upon disembarking from the boat, McKieg thanks Gervus and begins a clockwise sweep from water's edge around the base of the lighthouse, casting an orison to detect magic as well as using his own senses of perception.
McKieg's agreement to do some due diligence and examine the lighthouse perimeter should hopefully bolster Adyr's spirits a bit. The dwarf carefully begins to pick his way around the structure's base, eyes open for anything unusual - including magical auras. It's slow going; the jagged stretch of rock that the lighthouse stands upon isn't much larger than the building itself and McKieg soon finds himself dripping wet from the spray of salty water as the waves crash against the rocks.
After several minutes McKieg finishes his circuit of the lighthouse. There are no magical auras in the area that he can detect, at least not outside, nor do there seem to be any secret openings leading into the lighthouse or into the rocks themselves. Technically, the windows on what should be the second floor of the lighthouse could offer egress but anything attempting to enter or exit would either need to be gifted with flight or some means to climb the outer wall.
On the other hand, McKieg's circuit does give him a better idea of what the interior dimensions should be; roughly 50 feet in diameter at the lowest (bottom floor) point and probably 40 feet in diameter where the second floor is, growing narrower as the building ascends.
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Luurg waits for the strange Dwarf mang to do his scouting, preferring to stay wit bosslady Sheelur "Careful dare mang, deez rocks is slip'ry n dat armur look 'eavy." Luurg does his best to keep an eye on the guy in case he needs a hand or two to pull him from the drink.
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"We gud now? Luurg like dis nice rain but udder mebe not so much ok? Ok." He heads on into the bright house, leading the way behind the boatman.
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Adyr nods to the Dwarf...
"Thanks McKieg."
"Just because the outside looks alright doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect some other forms of entry... I will see if there is any sub-levels we should know about. You want to come with me McKieg?"
Adyr will ready his equipment... in anticipation of the lighthouse holding something far more sinister than its exterior suggested.
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Adyr whispers to McKieg, "Let's not be fools and presume these people are harmless. It appears some, if not all worship the Lord of Lies."
Adyr shakes his head in bewilderment.
"I ALMOST understand why people could be lured into the blind-faith of powers such as Desna or Shelyn, but a power of demonstrable EVIL... this is why religion is the very poison that will eventually spell the ruin of the Inner Sea...gods... just powerful beings. Not worth wasting the time necessary to learn all of their names, let alone their doctrines."
Satisfied that there don't appear to be any hazards outside of the lighthouse, at least for now, McKieg takes the lead and carefully knocks on the heavy wooden door that is the only obvious entrance to the lighthouse. There's a brief pause and the door creaks open just a hair and you see a pair of familiar eyes staring out at you - it's Nick.
"Ahh, there you are; Lira said she ran into you folks too," he remarks, opening the door to allow you entry. "Glad you could make it, come on in. It's crowded but we'll make do."
Stepping inside you see that the bottom level of the lighthouse is bare, except for small pools of seawater that have collected here and there on the stone floor. A rusted staircase spirals upward 15 feet to a second level and from above come the sounds of shuffling feet, voices speaking in low, hushed tones, and the occasional phlegmatic cough or sniffle. The entire building exudes dampness and a faint chill permeates the air.
"Everyone's upstairs," Nick gestures. "The meeting'll start in a few minutes, so just head on up when you're ready and we'll get started."
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Though it's a bit awkward once you realize that Nick seems to be standing guard at the lighthouse door you decide better safe than sorry and continue your due diligence before heading upstairs. McKieg makes a circuit along the wall, looking for magical auras and anything else that might stand out amidst the stonework of the lighthouse.
"Mm...something got your dander up?" Nick asks, a small, wan smile on his face. "Can't say I blame you. Figured you'd look around the town a bit more before you headed this way and I'm sure Gervus near talked your ears off on the trip over."
He leans against the wall near the door, arms crossed over his chest as he watches McKieg (and anyone else helping) secure the immediate area. "And you folks aren't stupid. Maybe that's a good thing and a bad thing all wrapped up in one package; can't really say. But I reckon it don't really matter now. You're here and you're in the middle of this whether you want to be or not."
As though realizing that he's not being particularly clear or reassuring, the grizzled man sighs and rubs at his face, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look...I know we're a strange lot to you and I don't blame you if you don't trust us. It ain't easy for us to trust outsiders either. But I promise none of us mean you folks any harm. We just want to go back to living our lives like we always have, that's all. And if you're here and willing to help then I'll do what I can to help you. But it ain't me that you'll need to convince, or Lira, or Gervus."
"It's everyone else," Nick says quietly, gesturing up towards the second floor.
A few minutes later, your examinations of the lighthouse's lower level are complete. As with the outside, there don't appear to be any magical auras in the near vicinity nor do there appear to be any hidden passages or other secret compartments.
Outside, the sky begins to grow darker as the clouds of the storm bring a premature evening. You can hear the rain start to fall more heavily and the wind picks up...
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Sheela keeps Nick company. "We're just being thorough, that's all. Like you said, we're not stupid. Convincing crowds, well, I'm quite skilled at that. Depends on what I have to convince them of."
She leans against the wall as her Unseen Servant shrugs. Nothing to report. Good. "No one has... explained what is going on here, or why they need help."
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Luurg stands by with Leafy, watching over Sheelur as she converses with Nick. "We werk wid many mangs, sum gud, sum not gud. Sum sniggy, sum not sniggy." He takes out another couple apples and offers one to Nick, quickly eating the first as he does so.
"Nuttin' funny up dare is dare?" He asks through a mouthful of apple core.
"I swear on my soul there's nothing up there 'cept my own good people of Blackcove," Nick replies, making a show of placing his hand over his heart. "What's left of us, anyway."
He stares curiously at Luurg for a moment as he pulls apples seemingly out of nowhere but then accepts the one offered to him, nodding in thanks. "You just magic them up or what?"
"Anyway...well, you've probably figured out that we've had folks go missing around here lately, taken by beasts from the sea," Nick continues, pulling out a small pocket knife. He proceeds to peel the apple before cutting it into slices. "But we don't really know what's brought it on or who's doing it. Figured maybe if we had a meeting and talked it over and laid out who's seen what and what we all know that maybe we could figure out the cause and then do something about it."
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He stares curiously at Luurg for a moment as he pulls apples seemingly out of nowhere but then accepts the one offered to him, nodding in thanks. "You just magic them up or what?"
Luurg points to the various strings of fruit and bulging pockets and backpack to answer the question of appearing fruit "I got big pockets yo." He smiles, nodding at both the question and the response.
"Guess so," Nick remarks, studying Luurg's backpack and pockets. "Maybe if all this other business gets resolved you can send your tailor out here. Some of the womenfolk keep fussing about their pockets being too small..."
"Yeah...yeah I did," Nick responds grimly as he eats a few pieces of the sliced apple and then wraps the rest up in a handkerchief. "Happened down on the beach maybe a day ago; a couple of those fish-beasts came surging out of the water and grabbed up Oldurth Sharppike and his wife Brynn. Dragged them right back into the water and were gone before we could even get halfway down the beach..."
His voice trails off and he looks away from Wadi, shifting his gaze upward, towards the second floor.
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Seeing how everyone upstairs is waiting on them, Luurg leads the procession up the spiral staircase, squeezing his bulk between the railings as he keeps an eye on things. "Dis ting strong right?" He gives it an eyeball and bounces a slight bit to test it out. Luurg has a very positive body image... sometimes a bit more than in actuality.
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"I swear on my soul there's nothing up there 'cept my own good people of Blackcove."
Tiffany splashes in the puddles as she follows behind the others, listening closely. She watches Nick for any strange gestures while he speaks... just in case.
"Well, it looks like it's about to storm, and I, like, just did my hair." A look at Tiffany's waxy head reveals not a single length of keratin, only a flowery crown. Of delusion. "We may end up here for a while, so let's get this meeting over with!"
"And here comes Gervus now - good timing," Nick remarks, taking another peek out the door. "Let's get this going, then."
After ushering Gervus inside Nick heads up the rusty iron stairs and you follow behind him. Despite Luurg's misgivings the stairs and the stone floor of the second level all seem sturdy and secure in spite of the rust and the dampness. Tiffany keeps a wary eye on Nick ahead of them and Gervus behind them but doesn't sense any malicious intent from either, at least not at the moment.
Tightly packed into the cramped quarters of the second floor of the lighthouse are all of the villagers who remain in Blackcove. Numbering less than forty, the bedraggled assembly exudes anxiety and dismay. Their kinship is obvious, and most display the same waxy and weathered skin, thinning hair that recedes sharply to either side of a pronounced widow’s peak, and disarmingly dark purple eyes. Phlegmatic coughs echo throughout the damp, crowded room and it seems as if the community members’ constitutions have grown weak because of degeneration following too many years of isolation.
Low, frightened murmurings and whispers give way to silence as you arrive; the only sounds are wet, labored breathing, the increasingly hard rain, and the pounding surf below. With a nervous laugh, Gervus breaks the silence.
"Well, it looks like Adler found help after all; here’s hoping they’ll be our salivation. I guess we should tell them about our troubles...?"
The last sentence is more of a question and both Gervus and Nick look expectantly at the remaining citizens, clearly expecting someone, anyone, to speak up and offer some information. But the only responses are silent stares; some frightened, some suspicious, all unfriendly.
"Don't see what good a buncha outsiders'll do us," one elderly woman mutters. "They'll just stir more things up with their meddling..."
Several of those nearby nod in agreement.
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Adyr steps forward... clears his throat and addresses the huddled mass of townsfolk.
"We have seen your troubles...these sea-creatures are the source of your problems and we are hear to help. This is a matter that both magic and steel will remedy for you in short order."
Adyr slaps McKeig on the back... making his armor echo.
"We are no simple band of TINKERS. We are professional soldiers, wizards and the like. By the way things look... what do you really have to lose?"
- if I have the highest modifier I will take the lead... if not, then this will just be an AID.
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When Nick explains that the team will have to convince the villagers to accept its help and persuade them to cooperate, he prepares himself, uttering a prayer to Yuelral as he trudges up the rusty spiral staircase.
After Adyr makes the team's opening argument, McKief steps forward, mithral full plate gleaming and starmetal longaxe in his gauntleted fist. "Yes, we have answered Adler's call for help. We're prepared to deal with the threat preying upon your village, and we're not asking you to risk your own lives any further. All we ask is for your support and cooperation."
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"Does anyone mind telling us what's going on, here? Adler said creatures from the deep kidnapped the dear townsfolk. We saw one creature dead in a tub in one of your alchemical labs. Most of the buildings are abandoned. All of the young adult women are gone." She pauses.
"If we are to help, we need your cooperation and you information. We're not an army, that's too loud. We're a surgical team. We'll find out what happened and prevent this from happening again. The less time we waste, the more likely we are to find survivors."
"Please, help us help you."
Sheela kicks entropy a few times to make her words stick.
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Wadi adds to the storm of words as he smiles at the villagers with a flourish of his arm, "While it may seem your prayers were not heard at the first, keep in mind your..OUR Lord works in mysterious ways and that this be his will. Instead of an army of troops he sends a more determined band of...I know it sounds quaint, but here the term applies...HEROES!"
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The crowd of villagers falls silent as Adyr steps forward and begins to speak. Though they are clearly wary and afraid, they begin to warm to the Garundi's words and some whispering can be heard among the crowd.
"He's got a point...there ain't many of us left as it is..."
"Aye and if something ain't done there won't be any 'us' left!"
When McKieg steps forward to speak, a few of the children in the crowd gasp with amazement as the light glints off his armor and axe; he really does cut an impressive figure in spite of his short stature.
"Wow, look at his axe! It's like the sun's shining off of it and there ain't even any sun in here!"
"He looks real tough...I bet he could take on those sea monsters all by himself!"
Clearly, the crowd is warming up to the group. Several of the older women and men fall silent as Sheela steps forward next, enchanted by not only her beauty but the calm sense of purpose in her tone. Especially notable are the sudden flurry of angry cries and murmurs when she mentions finding one of the sea monsters dead in the alchemical shop.
"Gerlach! I knew it, he's behind all this!"
"Told him t' leave things be, I did, but he just had to go nosing around out there!"
But despite Sheela's words having touched a nerve, the attitude of the crowd continues to warm and grow less fearful. Unfriendly looks and suspicious stares are now replaced by curiosity and hope. Last but not least, Wadi clears his throat to address the villagers and quickly gets them riled up and on board with his declaration that he and the rest of you are true heroes!
"Yeah! Adler knew what he was doing when he sent 'em to us!"
"Those sea beasts'll rue the day they decided to mess with Blackcove!"
"Praise the gods, we're saved!"
Nick gives the lot of you a slow clap, grinning widely. "Not only do you all look tough but you sure got a way with words, too! Hopefully now you'll be able to put together something useful from everything they'll undoubtedly have to tell ya!"
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Now firmly convinced that you are their salvation, several of Blackcove's remaining residents begin shouting all at once, a jumble of information that is impossible to make heads or tails of. Nick sticks his fingers in his mouth and lets out a sharp whistle, finally managing to get their attention.
"Alright, alright, gonna do this like we do with the wee ones at their lessons," he calls out. "Raise your hands, one person speaks at a time. Got it? Good. Alright, Han, you first."
An older man stands up, clutching a weathered fishing hat in both hands. He clears his throat. "We're simple folk with simple lives an' I don't know why th' gods have cursed us like this. During th' attack two nights ago, I saw 'em comin' glidin' through th' water from th' docks. Looked like they were comin' from the island, they were."
"He means Nal-Kashel," Lira suddenly speaks up from where she sits tending to a young, sickly-looking child. "It used to be an Azlanti outpost, I'm told."
"Aye, my grandmama once told me we was all descended from them Azlanti," Han nods in agreement. "From th' ones that first lived out there on th' island. An' I believe it too, their gifts still run through our veins t' this day."
He then sits down, having shared clearly shared everything that was on his mind to share.
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Sheela grins. Finally, we're getting somewhere. Everyone is so eager to speak they are drowning each other. It feels good to be in control, to have the crowd at her fingertips. Nick manages to calm them down enough to get some real information.
"It sounds like whatever they are, they are coming from the island of Nal-Kashel. How long have they attacked you? If this is recent enough, maybe they haven't hurt their captors."
"Been weeks, it has," a middle-aged woman answers, arm tightening around a young boy that sits beside her. "But it started slow...first it was just one or two missing at a time, young ones, so we thought maybe they'd just eloped an' ran off together. Kept getting worse though, more an' more started going missing an' then they started getting more brazen, attacking in broad daylight!"